


Burn Out

by Sailboatstudios



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Gangsters, Gen, Jedi, Revolution, Sith
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-16
Updated: 2017-03-16
Packaged: 2018-10-06 08:50:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 44,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10330952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sailboatstudios/pseuds/Sailboatstudios
Summary: The Clone Wars have ravaged the galaxy. Star systems have been forced to side either with or against the Galactic Republic. Setting his sights on the industrial hub planet of Lianos, Count Dooku has sent his apprentice Kerry Klingston to lead the surge against the Republic.





	1. Chapter 1

The boy didn't look dangrous, quite the contrary. Many saw him as meek due to his small, slim physic, Mykle wanted to change that perception of him. "Mykle!" From his peaceful slumber now rubbing his scratched ears. How he hated to hear his name shouted. "Mykle!" The intrusive voice said again somehow louder, now banging on the door, the sound echoed throughout the small apartment. There was nowhere to hide from it.

Groggily the boy swept his legs over the messy cot, some saliva stained the itchy grey fabric. He slowly opened the door, trying not to be as hostile as this guy clearly was. 

"Hello?" His eyes squinted in the daytime light, people walked by in typical hustle and bustle fashion a staple of Lianos. Mykle's voice sounded like his throat inhaled nothing but dust for the past three hours. 

"You're late on your rent!" Luewau, a silver skinned Omwati held the data pad right in the tired one's face. From the strong sunlight and his eyes yearning for the dark, Mykle couldn't make out what he owed or register what was being said. "150 credits by sundown or you're out!" Luewau stomped away without as much of an ounce of sympathy for the young boy's poor hand he'd been dealt. 

"Good morning to you to." He grumbled and returned to his cot, which somehow became softer and more welcoming than before he left. The wires in his brain fused. He was gonna be living out in the street if he didn't get his hands on some currency. "What am I gonna do?" 

Once again he departed his soft warm confines and lazily put together his usual ensemble. Red shirt, mud stains on the hem and upper backside, blue pants, tattered but still useful, and two-year old brown sneakers that were originally whites. He had a hat but misplaced it. Quite the shame, given the heat it could have been useful. Venturing outside, the heat was so intense you could boil an egg on the sidewalk. 

Infrastructure didn't exist in these parts of Lianos. People routinely dodged incoming speeders, no one had the right-of-way, Mykle stayed close to the walls and side streets. Ever since the Jedi engaged the occupying Separatist forces, small towns like MiCo became the hub for those wishing to avoid the action at all cost. Transplants from the upper echelon areas lived amongst the commoners, often rooming with them due to the lack of available housing - providing that couldn't be bought off the originally owners of the land. 

Mykle was the opposite. He wanted to get a front row seat to see the action. If only their were any houses left not destroyed by the aforementioned action. A Force sensitive himself, he took it as a gift from the universe rather than a mere coincidence as his indifferent friends did. He couldn't stand his mundane existence. Always believing he was meant for more. 

From the sandy streets, the outskirts were more farmland than truly outskirts, men and women of diverse race worked the fields once the crack of sun light intruded the darkness. "Morning, Mykle!" Nyko waved a sweaty pasty hand, his whiter than sugar tunic sagged off his slender body. Mykle approached Nyko at the fence. 

"How you feeling today?" Nyko asked. Mykle shook his head and confessed his recent dilemma, Nyko, no stranger to ultimatums to pay a fee, offered verbal support and spoke of a way he could meet the payment. A fellow "farmer", Jakob, needed people to have favors done for him and was willing to pay a substantial price. 

"Jakob?" Mykle heard of this man, quite gentle in appearance, dangerous once trifled with. "I don't wanna get mixed up with that." He would rather go broke and homeless than become a hired gun. 

"You got it all wrong!" Nyko tried to rope Mykle back in. "Just say, 'I'm a repo man' and you're in need of work'" Mykle was still hesitant. Though only fourteen, Lianos' laws would try him as an adult if the crime commuted was harsh enough. "You want to make it in the real world you gotta get dirty." Nyko went right back to tending to his crops, tossed Mykle a meiloorun fruit, Mykle thanked him and went on his way. 

He walked the dirt road bypassing farmland after farmland evenly divided. Mykle enjoyed strolls such as these, the daytime on Lianos were peaceful, the "Fire Hurlers" - a moniker given by the transplants for the local hoodlums - didn't come out until nighttime. Families hurried to tend to their land before then. Only the richest could afford hired help, the long grueling shifts, while the pay would be good, the help had farms themselves that were being ignored. 

A brown house appeared over the valley, the sun headed down on the boy shade was nowhere to be found. Sitting down on his rocking chair, Jakob eyed Mykle even before he knew he was to approach his doorstep. The porch provided him shade that made him the envy of all farmers, cold drink in hand, Jakob looked like a man of few troubles. 

"Uh, hello, sir." Mykle shyly introduced himself before the first step, electing to show respect for the "legitimate" businessman. "I'm a repo-man and am in need of work." It was best to never tell Jakob his name. It made him more approachable if you could be sworn anonymity. 

"Do you now?" Jakob smiled, placing his cold drink down. "I've heard about you from various sources on the ground." His smile grew devilish. What you can do. Don't worry. Do right by me and I'll do right by you in more ways than one." Jakob gestured for the teen to step into the shade. "You need money?" He cut right to the chase. "I got some work for you. A yokel outside of MiCo hasn't returned the farming equipment I've loaned him. Get it back, and ask him for his speeder." Doesn't sound too hard. Mykle nodded and went on his way. 

"And just like that I'm an employee of a criminal." Once home, Mykle flipped over his cot and holstered a blaster pistol. It wasn't loaded, but could still come to use. A feature was installed in it by Nyko that helped disable protocol and R2 unit droids. Hitching a ride on a wagon pulled by an equine, once there, Mykle hung back outside the "yokel's" farm until the sun began to set, when the Rodian was finishing up his harvest. Figuring he'll rob him when he's in his bed.

Once he reached the homestead it couldn't be clearer that even if this "yokel" wanted to pay Jakob, he wasn't in any position to. The equipment "loaned" to him: two protocol droids who didn't seem to provide much help, and an outdated R1 unit, no system has manufactured those in centuries, it was rusted and barley helped the Rodian harvest the crops. Twin moister vaporators kept the soil from going dry, but a recent drought made the land untenable for the most part.

The farmer hummed along, ignorant to what was about to be inflicted on him. The Rodian's wife - or girlfriend - exited the house, arguing, drawing attention to themselves. The Rodian met the rough hand of the female Rodian before she stormed off, he cursed in their language as she departed. 

The Rodian went inside, probably for a drink to calm his nerves. Mykle took the opening. Switching his blaster to a function designed to disable droids for a short period of time. The droids fell like cinderblocks. Rusted and slightly busted, Mykle looked around for the nearest transport he could dump the scrap heap on.

His thought process was interrupted when the door swung up, the Rodian charged down the steps, green lanky fingers slipping towards his blaster. "Haku doth uba woy, ah'chu apenkee?" He shouted, his hopes that his rantings would scare the trespasser away. But Mykle stayed put. 

"You didn't want your farm ransacked, you should have paid your debts!" Mykle couldn't understand a lick of Rodian, he could tell he spoke a mixture of his home world language and Huttese. He didn't need a translator to know he wanted to know who he was and what he was doing. 

"Toupee Jakob Dobra dan um baw wah moulee rah!" He pleaded. When Mykle stayed unsympathetic - or at least he appeared to, the Rodian farmer brandished blaster his hand shook, finger not even on the trigger. 

"You think you're good for the money? Go talk to Jakob. Until then, give me your speeder. Far as I know it's his property now. And don't give me that, I know you can understand me." Mykle kept his cool despite facing the barrel of a gun. 

The Rodian didn't speak. His big navy blue eyes drooped. Mykle thought at first this was gonna be easy. A surge of resilience must have invaded the Rodian's mind, he fired his shot aimed at the boy's torso. One swift movement of his hand and the farmer's arm went to the left, and soon the blaster was out of his hands and into Mykle's. 

"Now I'm only going to ask this one more time," Mykle kept the Rodian from running by pointing the blaster at him. He hated holding people up at gunpoint, especially how comfortable he became of it. It was a simple three step program for him. Brandish. Demand. Take. "you're speeder." He held out his hands. The Rodian luckily got the message and handed him the keys. 

The ride back took more time then the ride to the homestead. Mykle just robbed a man. Perhaps an innocent man in dire need of help, so he turned to the worse possible person. Never take money from a loan shark. Either you pay them back with interest or your blood will meet the pavement. That's what he learned. 

He's cased houses before, but never an actual stickup. The secret was out. He used the Force, word will start to circulate. Maybe this was a good thing? How can it not? Something to finally rise him above the riffraff, make him useful. When Mykle told people of his abilities he was either met with cynicism or indifference. What mattered on Lianos was currency. Not some sort of spiritual power that bonded the universe together. 

Back in MiCo there wasn't a soul seen outside. The path was clear, the wind blew away hours old footprints. Sundown was fast approaching, the bright light that shined over MiCo like a lightbulb now only a dark blue color painted the small city. Mykle knew he was running out of time to collect his payment and put the pedal to the metal. 

Back at Jakob's homestead, the man wasn't sitting confidently on his porch sipping a cold drink. Only one light was on, it was for a split second, Mykle saw it and walked up to Jakob's door. "Yo," He greeted him "i have your stuff." And in a flash the door opened to reveal a red faced Jakob, a vein stood out on his forehead. 

"Keep quite!" He ordered like some sorta drill sergeant. "You got the equipment? Good. Here's your check." What was handed to Mykle must have been a joke. The payment was so light the wind could have taken it. 

"Whoa whoa!" He stopped an eager Jakob from going back inside. "First off, you better get that stuff inside or someone's gonna rob ya. Second, what's this?" He couldn't believe he was being stiffed.

"What's what? I said I had work for you and I'd pay. I didn't say how much." To Jakob's credit, this was true. Still, Mykle didn't wanna walk away with just seventy-five credits for his troubles. 

"I need 150 or I'm living on the street." He was semi-begging Jakob for an extra fifty. "Look, you give me fifty, next job's on the house. Come on." He offered. Jakob knew how desperate the kid was, but knew what was being asked couldn't be done.

"Sorry kid, the Seppies are bleeding me dry. I need my one-twenty-five too you know! Anyways, good luck. Come back tomorrow if you're looking for more work." And just like that the door shut for good. Left out in the cold with only seventy-five credits to keep him warm, Mykle was taken for a sucker and now had to make the long walk home and pray he wasn't yet evicted. 

Wind chill replaced the unbearable heat. Rubbing his arms in an attempt to generate heat, Mykle shivered as he tried to create sweat and make himself warmer. Finding some solace walking past burning barrels, homeless Lianos citizens cozied towards the flame, Mykle wanted to stop and hold his hands out towards it. But time wouldn't allow it. 

It was these moments that reminded Mykle how terrible Lianos truly is. If you didn't have a farm, you couldn't even scrape on by. Mykle was no farmer, he didn't come from a family of farmers, so he had to find other means to make an honest days pay. Before he worked as a "repo-man" for various landspeeder dealers and loan sharks. Not one to break another's legs, Mykle only took back what was given to them by the loan shark. There was always a moral code he was hellbent on following even to his own detriment. Except this time. And all he got for it was a measly seventy-five credits. Not even enough to buy him clean clothes, let alone pay rent.

His worse fears became confirmed when he seen not only his landlord entering his apartment, but throwing Mykle's stuff out on the sandy streets with little care. "Hey! Hey!" Mykle tried to stop Luewau, but he went on merrily tossing Mykle's belongings like trash. "You have my money?" Luewau apparently knowing the answer, continued evicting his poor tenant. 

"I have seventy-five, give me one more day and I can get you the fifty credits." This was the second time Mykle was begging someone to cut him a break. Like Jakob, Luewau had little room for mercy in his heart. 

"I'm sorry." Mykle could tell the Omawati didn't really mean that. "But a deal's a deal. Keep the money and buy yourself some respectable clothes." Out of pity, Luewau handed the boy fifteen credits, and like Jakob, closed the door on him in a flash, locking him outside. 

"But it's passed curfew! You're really gonna let me go to jail for a mere fifty credits!" Mykle looked down at the fifteen additional credits his hand. "Thirty-five credits!" 

At least Mykle might be able to buy himself a meal. He hasn't eaten all day. The temperature dropped another twenty degrees. The moon made the sand look like freshly made snow piled up after a storm. He needed to find shelter quick or the patrol officers would throw him in the cellar for a month. 

Grabbing the bag with his clothes, Jedi textbooks and various other belongings, Mykle tried to stay in the shadows to avoid detection. Seppie patrol vehicles were out and about already, and they weren't the standard battle droids. The recent Kir'Myer Revolt made sure only the best droids the Separatist had to offer would touch down on Lianos. B2-Super Battle Droids that could shred you up in a millisecond. And the dreaded Steels, bronze, ever so gentle steps you could not possibly hear them coming. Plus their crack shot firing made them all the more deadly.

Mykle wanted no part of them. The patrols were always the most vigilant at the start of sundown. Mykle needed a place to keep his head down. Finding a pack of bums hanging under the overpass huddled around the fire, Mykle couldn't think of a better option. 

"Mykle?" A dark skinned, rough old man squinted his eyes to see Mykle's copper skinned hands over the fire. His dirty white beard looked painted on his beaten chin. "What you doing here?" 

"Hey Morty." Mykle gave a mock salute then went right back to the fire. "I got evicted." He shrugs as if it was nothing. "I'll be fine." Morty knew Mykle's parents for the longest time, until a few years ago he used to stop by the house and visit his old students. He used to teach down at the local grade-school where Mykle grew up. Since the Separatists took over Lianos, they forced Morty out due to him teaching "questionable" material to the kids. Meaning he wasn't good at propaganda. 

"Why don't you go home, kid?" If Mykle had a credit for every time someone told him that. Why would he go home? What was there for him? Covertly, Mykle slipped Morty his ninety credits. 

"Buy yourself a nice breakfast, alright. For me?" Morty was hesitant to take the younglings money. Laminating how far he has fallen from grace to be taking donation from a kid. 

"I can't take this, Mykle. Please keep it." He handed the credits back pushing his hand to his chest, careful so no one else would see. 

"I'll be fine." Mykle promised. "I got a place to hang out for the night, room and board. It's good." He wasn't persuasive, Morty refused, Mykle eventually gave up trying. 

"Why don't you buy yourself a room for the night instead of taking your chances with the cops?" Morty asked. The cold air started to sweep through under the overpass. Both shivered and huddled up closer to the fire. The usual noise that would come from passing speeders were nonexistent this time of night.

"Cause it'll cost me two-hundred-fifty just for one night. One night! In a sleazy motel room." Mykle explained. 

"I've seen how you tidy up, kid. It ain't that much different from a sleazy motel room." Morty commented, earning a playful shove by the elbow. 

"All right, all right. I gotta get going. Wish me luck." The band all sent their best wishes. Mykle believed throughly how the Seppies kept those under their boot from revolting again by installing fear into Lianos' citizens - especially here on MiCo. Holding hostage supplements for the farms. While at the same time playing nice and making an effort to "better" citizens lives. A clear case of "getting punched by a fist full of sugar" Morty put it.

Mykle certainly was afraid. The Separatist did things to those who challenged them. Not limited to torture, the Royal family had men and women wiped off the face of the universe and thrown in an undisclosed location.

"This ain't no way to live." Mykle dryly commented. He was right. Many had to beg the empire for its table scraps. People were just too afraid to rise up.

Bright white round lights surveyed the neighborhood. No Fire Hurlers tonight. At least Mykle was confident in that assessment. Fire Hurlers cause more trouble than the revolutionaries. They don't dispel between peaceful citizens and Separatist officers they just burn the whole block down. Posters plastered on every building 'See A Fire, Call The Firemen' was the tagline. If it weren't for them, the Seppies wouldn't have a common enemy with the commoners. 

Mykle was careful not to dip too closely to the popular areas and stick to the alleyways and backstreets crouching next to parked speeders. A bit taxing on the knees, Mykle really should have eaten prior to leaving. Sand seeped into the holes in the tongue of Mykle's muddy sneakers, making him the more unbalanced. The bumpy sand didn't help. 

When the patrol vehicle made a right turn down to the more chaotic parts of MiCo, Mykle took the window and scurried back out to the outskirts of Lianos. Seeing Nyko's brown home made him envision a nice warm bed and a cooked meal in the morning. 

Knocking on the door, Mykle looked behind him to make sure no patroller droid could make him out. They stop patrolling the outskirts an hour after sundown. 

Nyko opened his door, surprised to see Mykle all sweaty and in a panic. "What the Hell are you doing here?" Nyko rubbed his eyes, irritated his beauty rest was interrupted. 

"I need a place to stay. Luewau tossed me out." Mykle didn't even wait for permission and slipped past Nyko. "They're all over MiCo. I wouldn't last a night out there." Mykle was being honest. The patroller droids hunted curfew violators like dogs. If caught they'd automatically assume you're with the resistance force. If lucky, you could prove your innocence in under a month. 

"I need another hand for the harvest anyway." Mykle waved him off, happy to oblige. 

"I'll be the first one out there at the crack of dawn." He assured. Nyko rolled his eyes, unbelieving Mykle of all people would get up early for anything. 

"I gotta a room upstairs, same as you left it last week." While he was speaking Mykle helped himself to the refrigerator, pulling out a carton of blue milk and guzzled down two glasses faster than Nyko have ever seen anyone do it. "There's food and drink in the fridge." He added. Aware Mykle was more than willing to help himself. 

"Thanks, Nyko. I owe you one." Before Nyko could even say what Mykle could do to repay his goodwill, Mykle beat him to it. "I'll be the first out in the fields. You can count on me."

"We're setting up the next harvest, we're planting seeds and plowing the fields." Nyko told him as Mykle made his way up the stairs. "You can count on me." He said again. Nyko was anything but convinced. 

Mykle settled his things in the center of the slightly cramped guest room. Flipping on the Holonet the local newscasters rarely spoke of the Separatist occupation of MiCo, Fek, the heart of all Lianos industrial manufacturing. The Seppies forced workers to manufacture goods for their army. If they didn't comply, they'd be replaced by droids and left to starve. Mykle couldn't really cast dispersions on them. Many had families to feed. State run media here on Lianos. Anything reported has to be approved by the government before air. All Mykle wanted to do was find out what was the weather going to be tomorrow. 

Taking out his holobook Mykle eagerly decided to read for a while until the weather segment came. All the holobooks he had were Jedi related. Didn't really care for Lianos' history. Was mostly indifferent when it came to learning of the Old Republic - unless it affected the Jedi Order. A fanatic of the Order, Mykle couldn't wait to reread the accounts of famous Jedi conquest and adventures. Their famous battles with the villainous Sith. Tales of Darth Revan's rise, fall and redemption. 

His descendent Satele Shan was a personal favorite of Mykle - originally because of her attractiveness. But as he grew, he admired her heroism in the face of complete and utter hopelessness. Her endurance when confronted with a more powerful opponent. He loss track of times he's read of the events on Alderaan three-thousand-years ago. The Master, with the help of loyal solider Jace Malcolm, together overcoming Darth Malgus and saving the planet from it's would-be Sith oppressors.

Every time he'd read it the hairs on his arms would stand up, a shiver would run through his spine as he eagerly flipped through each time forgetting he already knew the ending. 

Before the occupation, before the media ceased to exist. Him and friends used to gather around the Holonet after school and listen in to the reports of various Jedi who passed by Lianos. Never setting foot on the desolate rock. Always passing. Sometimes tuning in to the hokey reenactments of famous battles from a bygone era. One where everyone knew and respected the Jedi. Nowadays they are treated more with scorn. 

Before bed, Mykle sat patiently, crossed his legs, closed his eyes and attempted to meditate. Not having a tutor, he struggled to find out how this gave the Jedi such clarity. All he got out of it was confusion, his body never able to sit still for more than a couple of seconds. It gave him a chance to think though. Think about the "yokel" he robbed. How he sold out his morals and didn't get anywhere with it. A great angst washed over him. Guilt swirled around in his stomach almost making him sick. He wasn't pure, nor worthy to be a Jedi. A Jedi wouldn't hold a blaster to the temple of some poor farmer because some loan shark told them to do it. 

But this is what Lianos has forced him to become. Mykle believes he's destined to toil away, his dreams only to rot with his body and mind. Lianos acts as nothing more than a cage sealing him inside. Away from the universe. 

The newscaster finally got to the weather, tomorrow was to be warm and sunny. Good enough for Mykle. He turned off the Holonet, and crawled under the thin covers of his cot. His body aching for slumber he fell asleep quite soundly.


	2. Life on Lianos

In a brief moment the weather changed from a slight overcast to bright and sunny, perfect for farming. Nyko, having overslept, ran down to Mykle's room to wake him for their duties. Disappointed when he saw his bed unmade and no trace of Mykle in the house. "Knew he wasn't dependable." Nyko hated when Mykle always had "other things" to do besides help out a friend. Feeling like he was taken advantage of he was about to throw Mykle's stuff out the window when he saw the teen planting seeds on a freshly plowed field, along with two R2 unit astrodroids. 

Running down the stairs, still in his casual attire, Nyko met Mykle to make sure of two things: that he was doing the work right, and that this wasn't a mirage. 

"How long you've been out here?" Nyko asked. He seen most of the field was already plowed and planted with seeds. Inspecting Mykle's work, he was pleasantly surprised at how well he did. 

"Since sunrise." Mykle said honestly. "Thought I'd get right on the ball."

"But you're not a farmer, how could you do this?" Nyko was expecting to guide Mykle throughout the whole process. 

"Learned allot from watching you guys. It's an agricultural planet, gotta know somethings. Doesn't take a genius to know how to plow and plant a seed." Mykle finished. His clothes slightly tattered, dirty decorated an already ruined red shirt he wore the prior day. 

"I'm gonna go to the refresher." He told Nyko. Before he could leave, Nyko decided to ask him for one more favor.

"After you do that, I need you to go into town and buy me a new protocol droid." He handed Mykle two-hundred credits. "The one we have now hasn't been operating for weeks."

"Why can't you fix the old one?" Mykle asked.

"It's cheaper to just buy a new one." Nyko answered. 

"Alright." Mykle said tiredly.

"Make sure it speaks Huttese!"

Protocol droids aren't a useful bunch. Typically good for etiquette and protocol. Not two things that coincide with farming. Some are good with understanding moister vaporators. Some. Those are the most expensive kind. They can speak different languages, which helps for when you're dealing with a Rodian, the Hutts or any other non-Basic language.

Venturing into town the early morning streets were just as busy as the prior day. This time Steels were more visible, practically attached to the people. Mykle knew this wouldn't be the case unless something happened that could trigger a riot. He proceeded to the junk dealer with caution. 

The shop looked to be lacking business for the last couple days. The front desk was dusty. The droids were chained on rusted metal attached to the walls. Lief, a Omwati, appeared from the back, hands covered in oil he hastily tried to clean with a dirty rag. "Morning, Mykle." Lief offered a good handshake, but Mykle wished to avoid such contract. 

"What brings you here?" He asked. 

"I'm looking for a transport off this rock and to Coruscant." Mykle kidded. Lief let out a hardy laugh, slapping his ankle.

"To do what?" He asked. "Become a Jedi?" Lief knew of Mykle's gift, but like all who knew didn't really care for it. To Lief, the Force was a game, a distraction from what was essential to making it in the real world. "There's a pod-race coming up, maybe you can earn enough by winning?" Lief referenced the legendary Anakin Skywalker, who won his freedom the same way. 

Knowing it was ridicule and not an honest suggestion, Mykle got the conversation back on point. "Maybe another time. I need a new protocol droid. One that speaks Huttese." 

The Holonet playing behind the dealer switched from its scheduled programming to a "Breaking News" screen. Before the newscaster could announce it, the ticker on the bottom of the screen beat him to it. "Reform Party Representative Kory Mikan has been shot giving a speech at the Loktra Memorial, and has been declared dead on arrival to Lianos southern hospital." 

Despite having to paint this as not a big occurrence, the newscaster seemed shaken, like he knew what Kory's death would unleash. "Mikan was an outspoken critic of the occupation in the Lianos Parliament, rumors have circulated he was in talks with a very prominent senator in the Galactic Republic Senate in hopes of ending the Separatist presence; a recent poll showed 91 percent of citizens are 'for' the occupation." He had to put that fake disclaimer. Almost choking on the lies force fed to him. 

Mykle was mostly a novice when it came to politics. He didn't have to be an expert to know the people wouldn't sit well with another reformer being gunned down. Knowing he didn't have much time Mykle hurried to make his purchase and exit the shop. 

Crowds were already gathering, unrest was starting to rise. The man who they believed told them the truth was now gone. And the only ones who stood to gain from it were the people he fought against. "I bet Dooku had him killed." The most notorious rumor that circulated, Mykle heard it the most. 

"We were fools to put our trust in politicians in the first place!" A much louder voice boomed earning the attention of most in the crowd. Mykle kept on walking, keeping his head down. At any moment this place was ready to blow. Separatists Steels and other battle droids rolls in to quell any misbehavior, but their presence only fueled the flame of contempt. Glasses, rocks and whatever the people could find to hurl at the them. Mykle hightailed it out of there and to the outskirts. It'll only be a matter of time until the droids opened fire. 

Mykle returned to the homestead, Nyko's father, Keeden, looked on from his front step at the chaos taking place just a few kilometers away. "Here's your protocol droid." Before Nyko could ask if he spoke Huttese, Keeden told the teens not to get comfortable, a full scale riot was underway in MiCo and most likely all of Lianos. 

"I just got off the communicator, my sister said it's like a war zone outside!" Nyko's mother, Miranda took harsh breaths, her brown chocolate hair in a distraught mess. 

"Hey, Mykle! Where you going?" Nyko couldn't understand why Mykle was leaving the homestead to go straight towards the inferno. 

"Going to pick my sister up!" He said. Nyko hollered for him to return, which he did. A look of impatience was clear on his face. 

"Here." Nyko handed him the keys to his speeder. "Easier to get across town." Mykle thanked him and went on his way. 

Each second he stayed in MiCo the heat was ratcheted up a notch, as the people only got angrier and the droids only succeeded in make it all worse. Mykle knew Tiana wouldn't be safe on the school bus. Their parents worked too far from the school to pick her up before sundown. Mykle was used to picking Tiana up, in fact preferred to. It was the only time he'd get to see her.

Luckily the neighborhood where her school is wasn't yet affected by the riots, without issue Mykle picked up his sister who was happy to see her big brother. Clinging tightly around his neck in a warm embrace. "I've missed you!" She says, her green eyes lit up with excitement. 

Tiana's personality matched Mykle's almost exactly. She was a tomboy who enjoyed learning about the Jedi and the Force. Mykle humorously referred to her as his "Master" at times, given she's the only one to see him actually use the Force. People either don't care about Mykle enough to see if the rumors are true, or just flat out think it's validity is bupkis. The ones who have seen Mykle use the Force was his sister, Nyko and Sadie... and the "yokel" farmer. 

"I thought you weren't gonna be able to pick me up from school for a couple weeks?" Tiana wondered. Still pleasantly surprised to see her brother. 

"I just wanna make sure you get home safe." Mykle explained.

Almost completely oblivious Tiana wanted nothing more than to find a way to spend time with her brother. "Wanna go to the diner over in North Peak?" She sounded so cute to Mykle, whatever she asked for he was inclined to give it. Mykle believed he wouldn't be a good parent due to the fact he'd just spoil the child rotten.

Mykle enjoyed spending time away from the usual grind. He felt like he was a part of a family when he was with Tiana. Somebody to actually listen to what was ailing him. Didn't help that the person was eight-years old but he'll take what he can get. 

Moving her long braided black hair behind her back to not touch the bilerat stew and bread. Mykle couldn't stand Mandalorian food - bilerat smelled the most foul of them. It's thick green appearance was enough to turn Mykle's face to a matching green. And that's when you DON'T factor in the smell. 

Still she gobbled it down like it was her last meal - undaunted by its appearance or taste. Tiana was more tolerant of foods that seemed unsavory to most, she sought them out as opposed to avoiding the dishes at all cost. 

"So who you staying with now?" Tiana asked. It was apparent her parents put her up to ask the next time she saw Mykle. 

"At a friend's." Mykle said curtly 

"Mom and dad miss you." Tiana's voice became softer, more innocent. A clear attempt at guilt tripping her brother. "Will mean an awful lot to me if you'd come for a visit." 

"I got stuff to take care of." Mykle brushed it off, daring not to look at her sweet green eyes. "Maybe another time." Which always meant never. Having no desire to talk to his mother or father again. 

Giving up, Tiana went back to her meal. "By the way, Sadie is looking for you." Suddenly, she had Mykle's full attention. Sadie is co-leader of the biggest, most organized opposition to the royal family and Separatist occupation. She's been trying to recruit Mykle for weeks only to be rebuffed. He may have had his differences with his family whether it be good to get involved in such affairs, but taking that all crucial first step was too much for the copper-skinned teen to handle. 

"Haven't seen her in weeks." Mykle thought back to the last time he seen the blue Twi'lek. She used to let him tag along on smuggling missions back in the day. It was the only way he'd see more of the universe outside of the few neighborhoods in Lianos. 

"I know where she is." Tiana piped up. Mykle shushed her, putting his forefinger to his lips. "I didn't know it was a secret." She whispered. Blissfully ignorant to why he didn't like someone saying Sadie's name out loud. 

"It's not. Just be careful." Mykle didn't know how to broach the topic with her about Sadie being wanted by the Separatists for impressment of their droids, smuggling wanted men and women out of the Lianos system in effort for them to avoid prosecution. Many ousted politicians in desperate need of refuge - for which the Republic supplied. Some were criminals like Sadie. Others were families looking to escape Separatists rule. Needless to say in Sadie was very wanted woman.

"Why don't you go talk to her?" Tiana asked, taking another spoonful of stew that made her brother's stomach churn. 

"Haven't had the opportunity." He lied. Not wanting to tell her he didn't wanna be badgered by her to join the rebel cause. 

"I think you should talk to her." Tiana's voice began to lower. "She is working with people that's gonna set all these people free!" She couldn't contain her excitement. A little scared Tiana knew this much about Sadie's doings, he couldn't help but smirk and lean closer.

"Really?" He acted surprised just to see how much see truly knew. Tiana nodded, taking another spoonful.

"The Republic is gonna help her overthrow the Royals." Tiana said almost more as a promise than a fact. "She sounded optimistic." Mykle didn't like Sadie openly talked revolution to his eight-year old sister. He preferred to keep her in the dark.

"Look," He said, his voice now stern and slightly cold. "Don't repeat any of what you just said to me to anyone. Never talk about 'revolution' to a soul. You got it." Tiana could tell he was deathly serious. She nodded obediently. "Finish up. I gotta get you home before moms starts to worry." Mykle tussled her hair to let her know of his affection and he was merely worried for her safety. 

The ride home was surprisingly calm. Many of the rioters dispersed in the areas near Tiana's home. Mykle breathed a sigh of relief. Then wondered what was of MiCo, if the circumstances were the same there. 

"Can you come inside?" Tiana knew the folks were home. Mykle also knew this and had little interest. 

"Nah. I got some stuff to do." He dodged. It wasn't like he was lying, but he had more time than he let on.

"Come on!" Tiana begged. "They miss you. I miss you." Her eyes doubled in size, her bottom lip quivered. Mykle couldn't help but laugh. He wanted to accept the offer but then remembered their cold icy stares. 

"I'm sorry." He said truthfully. "I'm really sorry." 

Tiana didn't have any hard feelings. A smile returned to her innocent face and she left the speeder, running eagerly inside to see her parents. "Her's," Mykle thought "not mine." When he seen her vanish inside the safe confines of her home, Mykle wasted no time getting out of there.

 

Returning to Nyko's, MiCo luckily simmered and the homestead went untouched by the chaos. MiCo was quieter than usual around this time of day. Yes, curfew was fast approaching and these were special circumstances. But not one light was on in the entire neighborhood. Not in the houses, businesses, eating establishments and even the streetlights. It was so dark you couldn't visibly tell a building different from your shadow. 

Large crowds gathered in the outskirts - many trespassing on others' homesteads seeing Separatist droids near Jakob's house. After initial resistance, the boss gave in. Throwing his pistol to the ground in a hopeless manner. The Steel announced he was arrested for racketeering. Again, little resistance. Mykle seen Jakob looked almost relieved to be taken away. He honestly thought if Jakob knew his sentence would be shortened if he sung like a bird and gave people like Mykle up. Instantly his stomach dropped. 

Entering the home, Nyko's mother and father watched calmly, bit jovial to see such a vile piece of filth like Jakob being taken away. "Hey Mykle." Nyko's father, Jackson, greeted him warmly. "Thanks for the help outside today." 

Mykle said "Thank you" as fast as humanly possible. Passing the couple, the teen went upstairs to pack his things. Nyko seen the worry plastered on Mykle's face. 

"Hey, what's wrong?" Nyko asked. Mykle only responded by continuing to pack his things and handing Nyko the key's to his speeder back. Throwing his holobooks and raggedy clothes in his bag, Mykle was ready to head out to who knows where.

"Where you going?" Nyko asked. It was clear Mykle was not responsive.

"You're friend, Jakob, was arrested just now." Mykle informed him quite bitterly. 

"So?" Nyko struggled to understand how that affected Mykle. 

"He'll likely sell me out for a shorter sentence. He knows things about me." Mykle spoke with a certain edge in his voice, like a clock was ticking. 

"You think he knows you're a-" Nyko was about to say, until he remembered his parents don't even know of Mykle's abilities. 

"Most likely. He sent me on a job to rob a 'yokel,' he boasted his knowledge of me." Mykle had replayed the scene at the homestead in his head hundreds of times trying to find a way where he didn't have to out himself. 

"Well, it's not like it was a secret before. When we were kids people used to talk about you." Nyko seemed calmer, more rational.

"They never seen me do it. To them, I'm just a crazy person." Mykle explained. "Me keeping my anonymity is important."

"It's not like Dooku's gonna take you as an apprentice." Nyko found humor in the idea of Mykle Briggs becoming a Sith. It wasn't in his nature to be brooding, to brandish a red saber and seek to unleash chaos. The two walked outside, the crowd still gathered around Jakob's house, now ransacking the place despite Separatist forces pushing them back. 

"That's not the point." Mykle needed to get going now. "You know how much I'd be worth to every two-bit thug looking to have me as an ally? And if I say no, then I'm putting you, your family and mines at risk." 

Nyko quickly understood. He tried to plead with Mykle that he didn't have to leave, sleep on the streets to avoid detection. "We'll hide you." Mykle noted how nice the offer was, however, his mind scoffed at the idea. 

"Unless if your family has an underground bunker that I can lay in for a couple weeks, then I gotta pass." Mykle shook Nyko's hand with a firm grip, waived goodbye to his folks and began to depart. "And tell your family, thanks for letting me stay." He said, more grateful than his tone let on.

Mykle ventured back to the sandy streets of MiCo, stopping by a local convenient store to buy some ration packs. He still had no idea where he was going to go. But he knew he had to go. Couldn't stay and MiCo. Too many eyes.

Hitching the next transport out of the town, Mykle, in his haste, did not register where the bus would take him. All he wanted was a rest. Cracking his neck, letting out relieved breaths, his hoodie covering up his image he finally let sleep take him. The narrow seat became softer than it was once before. 

Yet, even in slumber Mykle couldn't help but dwell on his sister, family and friends. This wasn't the first time he had to pack up and bolt to another town. MiCo was his latest stop because of their cheaper rooms - turns out he couldn't even afford that. He left his family a year before he was legally an adult, wasn't found until he was too old to be forcibly returned. Only able to scrounge up little change for his travels, Mykle did various jobs on the cheap just for a ration or respite. 

Lianos began to decay as the transport went along. Buildings became shorter, more dilapidated and even as the sun rose up from the ground not a soul was seen walking. Mykle remembered the curfew he had just violated for the second consecutive day. Hoping it wouldn't come back to him in a bad way. Transportation still ran at this time, only if you had a certified card you were allowed to mind your own business. If you had a night job or had some place to be. 

Just as he finished that though the bus stopped almost flinging him across his seat. Groggy, and in slight pain in the head, Mykle gazed outside his window to see Steels halting the transport. "Uh oh." He said like a child who spilt milk on his mother's new rug. 

Having to think fast, Mykle knew they'd ask for his card, he'd fail to provide it and be taken away. To where he did not know. It was times like this he wished he was still a minor in the eyes of the law. He'd merely be returned home and the Separatists would keep an eye on him but that's all. Rumors circulated on what they did to criminals like Mykle. Work camps. Long sentences with no court date. Taking you off the grid. Among many other things.

Taking a deep breath, the boy pushed all those thoughts out of his mind. It'll do no good to make himself panic in a moment that was not appropriate. He wondered if he could use his abilities to sacrifice one of the other passengers. Shaking that horrible thought out of his head before it became too tempting, he struggled to find an alternative. 

"Card." The Steels said over and over again, on instinct the passengers knew what they were talking about and provided them with the blue slip. "Checks out." 

"Maybe I can steal one?" He once again entertained the thought of sacrificing a passenger. "No!" He yelled at himself internally. "Have some sort of respect." He told himself. 

Sneaking down to the sticky, moldy floor, Mykle scurried like a crab under the seats, deciding to make a run for it. An argument ensued between one of the passengers and a Steel. Apparently his card was expired. A Steel stood like a tree stump in front of the exit. Closing his eyes, blocking out all the noise he reached out and took his attention away from his post. The Steel, programmed to assist a fellow droid in need, assisted the one dealing with the angry passenger being dragged away kicking and screaming. With their backs turned Mykle couldn't finally make his escape. 

The driver caught sight of him, it was impossible to avoid his detection as he sat right by the exit. Mykle looked and signaled for him to be quite. It worked in the holofilms. But not here. "Hey where's your card!" He spoke like an utter buffoon. Rolling his eyes Mykle was about to get going until he heard blasters cocked. 

"Freeze!" The Steel coldly ordered. Even having no feelings, Mykle felt the droid wanted him to run so he could pull the trigger. Mykle froze as he was told and expected to be stuffed in a patrol vehicle. Instead he took a blow to the back of his skull and everything went black.

 

"The enemies worse case scenario of who they'll be dealing with." 

That's what Kerry Klingston was told her role was to be in the Separatist movement. She outranked officers, and there were officers that outranked her. Not the ideal position she wanted to be in. One of Count Dooku's three apprentices, Klingston was certainly treated like the stepchild nobody wanted. Banished to stay on her home world with daddy, all the Sith Lord offered him for her amazing abilities was a pat on the head. 

She couldn't stand to watch her father rule Lianos. A glorified puppet for the Seppies, of Grievous or Dooku's assassin Ventress walked through the chrome doors he'd be flung to their feet, lips puckered.

There was a way to squeeze power and leverage over the Count, yet the King didn't have the fortitude to go through with his daughter's counsel. "It's not feasible, daughter." Klingston couldn't remember a time in where she heard her name come from her father. 

"Nothing is convenient, unless you grow a backbone to push through the challenges." She strongly urged him to break the shackles the Separatists slapped on his wrists. "For if it's not you to overthrow them, it'll be someone else that overthrows you." 

Elrich took out a hanky dabbing the tiny puddles of sweat off his dark skin. A king in name only, Elrich did not wear extravagant garbs, carry a scepter or even dawn a crown. Instead his appearance fit the average citizen of Lianos. Cleaner clothes, but nothing that could possibly give off the impression he was royalty. 

"Believe me, I know." He departed on that note, leaving Klingston trusted and sought further guidance from the darkness. 

Now, she was appointed to head up the prison complex in Hightown. The Hightown Facility was grey, and blended in with the green trees and grass fine in the background. Looking more like a building of business than where an empire kept their political prisoners. 

Mykle shook himself awake to witness being dragged by his arms to his jail cell by two Steels. His instant reaction was to struggle and holler. "Let go of me you-" Unlike a character in a holonovel, Mykle did not have a clever quip or insult to spin. Instead he was tossed into the cell, his captures fearing him very little. 

Feeling the earlier blow on the head, Mykle couldn't register where he was and was becoming quite fearful. His mind conjured up the reasons why they would want him here. Or perhaps he's inside for the curfew violation. Neither of which sounded good. Once you're inside, you stay inside.

Mykle waited for what seemed like hours for his interrogator to waltz right into his cell, he labored a bit as he lifted his aching back off the cold, hard bed. The interrogator was human, surprisingly enough. Dark skin, red fiery hair, appearing to be twice Mykle's size. 

"Before I say anything I want my lawyer." Mykle said what sounded like the stupidest thing. Klingston laughed at his pleas. "It's my right!" He added, though he didn't believe it.

"Not if the circumstances are right." For which they were "right." Whatever the Seppies said happened, happened, no one was going to challenge the claim - or live long enough too. "You are Mykle Briggs correct?" She took out her datapad to view his history. "Associate of crime boss Jakob - last name unknown-" Mykle stopped her right there.

"Whoa!" He held up his hands defensively. "'Associate'? I just did a job for the guy." Mykle wished he didn't say "job" thereby incriminating himself. 

Klingston raised an eyebrow, curious to what he kind of jobs he did, while knowing none of it had to be legal. She just wanted to hear him say it. "I picked up his farming equipment he loaned to a friend." Mykle explained. Klingston could tell he was lying. The way he said it was so unconvincing. 

"Alright." Then a brief silence took the scene. Unbeknown to Mykle, Klingston was feeling him out. Her red eyes doubled when she felt he was a Force sensitive. She didn't know what to do with this information - or even if it was real. 

"Rest up." She decided to cut the interrogation short. "Get some sleep and maybe you'll realize the reality of your situation." She said, the sentence had a double meaning. 

Outside the cell a Steel droid stood guard, programmed solely to assist Klingston in her interrogation efforts was baffled by her sudden departure. "Ma'am," It's dark tone of voice made the Sith a little unsettled. "What of the prisoner?" 

"Give the boy a rest. Give him rations, we'll butter him up." Klingston surprised the droid by taking the gentler route. "And if he doesn't corporate: business as usual." She said, a cold stare in her eyes, not even a flinch or moment's hesitation. 

She was just as surprised as the droid was. How could she be so thrown off? Just because she found a Force user doesn't mean -- She stopped and immediately pondered the ways this could go down. 

"If he's powerful maybe I can use him? Lure the Jedi in for a rescue? Is he even a Jedi?" Then she imagined her training the child, raising his abilities to new heights he could not possibly dream of. Kill Dooku and his lackeys, win the war and build her empire. A bit extreme to be thinking this far ahead, she knew. The temptation was hard to resist however. 

She elected to to give the prisoner a chance to give info on the people he's linked too. Do nothing out of the ordinary. Best not to arouse suspicion. 

 

"Here's your backpack." The lanky battle droid tossed the boy's bag haphazardly on the cold cell floor. Mykle jumped for it as if it were to be taken away at any moment. His blaster was no longer inside. But his rations were. Haven't eaten in hours Mykle needed something to fill his stomach and take his mind off this dilemma. 

"This can't be the end. Right?" He tried to psyche himself into believing this was far from the end of his story. That there was still a light for him to chase. That idea was becoming a pipe dream every day for Mykle, and his current predicament did not make it the more possible. 

Scoffing down his ration bars like it were his last meal - quite possibly could be - the pit in his stomach was filled and satisfaction overtook Mykle's current worries. Deciding it be better to parlay this feeling into a good night's sleep, he closed his eyes and hoped relaxation would be his greatest ally. 

The next day Mykle awoke rested, the constant throbbing in his head had receded. He did not know when he awakened as there was no windows in his cell. Believing he heard one soul say "Good morning," to someone; could have been his imagination. 

Klingston returned to his cell upon his awakening. Figuring he'd be easiest to interrogate when groggy. Not too far off, Mykle was more open to talks when he was not given time to think any of the questions through. His brain was in sleepwalk mode, and did not switch out of such until later in the day. 

"You have quite the history for a teenager." Klingston took out his record on her datapad, the 3D record appeared for him to see. "Five missions smuggling arms from the Separatists armory. Two missions moving criminals of the alliance. And worked with Republic sympathizers." She smiled to herself. Admittedly, she liked a kid who wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty, and clearly useful in a sticky situation. 

Mykle didn't speak, but when he did, only more denial he offered. His window closed shut. Klingston continued. 

"Who are you working for?" She asked. 

"Whomever is hiring and pays." Mykle plays the role of the heartless mercenary. "I don't know the names of my employers, I prefer they don't know mine." 

"Really?" She was unconvinced. "Familiar faces have teamed up with you in your travels." 

"They weren't mine, I was hired to assist and I did." Mykle continue to play dumb. 

"You lie!" Klingston became irate for a moment, growling through her teeth, before regaining her composure. "You had a relationship with your partners." 

Mykle shook when Kerry's voice switched to a deep, rough tone. "You seem to know enough." He didn't know if he feared Klingston or not, Mykle decided to go with the first line of dialog that came to mind.

"Then why do you resist?" Klingston's finger's slipping ever so slowly down her waist to the blaster holstered on her hip. "The alliance have ways of making you talk." Like a firecracker Klingston gripped her gun and took it out of its holster. Mykle, in a panic and desperate to stay alive, stretched out his hand and stole the pistol from the Sith only to find its cartridge empty. 

"A Force user." Klingston spoke in a 'a ha!' she knew it kind of way. "How long have you been?" If she had to be honest with herself, she knew the question was nonsensical. The shock threw her for a loop.

"It doesn't matter.." Mykle didn't like this one bit. Klingston pressed a button on her wrist communicator, and again she went deadpan silent like the previous night. Mykle fidgeted, an uneasiness started taking over his body. There will surely be no doubts now. His secret was out, the Force was with him, Klingston knew he was closer to her side of the Force than the light. Once you start walking the dark path, the easier more seductive route, unlikely one will defer power for the constants of the Jedi. 

From the open doors came two clankers, one a basic Steel Mykle had seen before hundreds of times, and the other a sphere shaped droid hovering above Klingston's shoulders. "This is P17-5 Interrogator." Klingston gestured to machine like it was a showdog. "It specializes in getting information out of the likes of you." He thought about making a run for it out the door, it shut before he could make the jump. The brown droid hovered agonizingly slow towards the boy who crawled backwards until his back hit the corner of the wall. Out of options, he was forced to accept his fate. 

 

Standing intently at their post, droids kept the first floor secure. The only organics walking around Hightown prison complex were the droid's programmers and translators. For all their military mite Steels could not understand a lick of non-basic language. 

"Hello," A blue finger gently tapped a Steel minding his post, humming along. With eh strength of a rancor the blue hand ripped the droids wires out of its chest sockets. Emotionless and silent the droid fell. 

"Did you have to do that?" Quillius asks, obviously annoyed. Like this wasn't the first time his partner went the hostile route. 

"If a plan ain't broke, it don't need fixin'." The cowl hid her facial features, along with her slender figure. In a snap she obtained the droid's access codes to the various floors and cells. "Come on." The two quietly made their way forward, careful not to allow themselves to be caught off guard by any retaliation.

"You sure Vic disabled the cameras?" Quillius asked for the third time. His paranoid mind figured no way Victor was able to carry out that task without a monumental screwup. 

"You worry too much." Sadie hated to talk during these kinds of missions in where stealth was the most important thing. When a droid passed their eyesight, Sadie electroshocked its circuits, hiding it in the shadows. As they made their way upwards to the control room, the repetition became clear. 

"Victor!" Sadie pushed her forefinger to her ear bud. "What's the story up there?" 

Outside the Hightown facility a male, black haired Kiffarian aged around his early to mid-20s broke through firewall after firewall. "Security here is a joke!" Vic boasted. "You guys will have Mykle out in no time." He guaranteed. Course that really didn't mean anything. Though Sadie was a staunch defender of Vic, it didn't mean she didn't share Quillius' concerns. 

"Coming up on the control room." Sadie informed Victor, hoping he knocked out the sensors along with the cameras for the element of surprise to remain a factor. 

"Taken care of." Victor gave the "A-OK" sign to himself. The smile fell off his face once he heard the gun blast and cursing of his name. 

"Damn you, Vic!" Quillius grunted. The two now engaged in a firefight against the guards. Cornered in the elevator, the two needed to think fast before they'd get blown to bits. "Got an idea, leader?!" Quillius asked her somewhat sarcastically. 

And yes. Her brain did concoct a scheme to elude capture, or worse death. "Free the prisoners!" She started. A wild-card no doubt. Maybe they'd be too afraid to fight the guards? Perhaps they'd be more than willing to, but they'd also wanna rip their liberators up to shreds too?

Sadie convinced herself that caution needed to be thrown to the wind or else they'd meet their end. Throwing electromagnetic pulse charge, Steel fell by the couple. It wasn't an elixir to their problems, but created enough of a diversion to allow Quillius to get to the control panel.

"How am I supposed to work this!" He yelled back to Sadie. The button layout was almost comical. It went on endlessly around in an oval; Quillius didn't bet there was a button that automatically opened up all the cells, he settled looking for Mykle's. "Mykle's in cellblock 3108!" He informed her. The Twi'lek ran off the get him out before any more damage could be done to him.

Quillius' eyes couldn't leave the panel, his panic got the best of him and he mashed the buttons without any sense of order. Smashing and smashing. It seemed to work. One cell would open. Then another. Then another. However, no one dared to leave their confines. In his haste, Quillius accidentally switched on the sprinkler system and turned off all the lights on the floor. 

"Stop!" Sadie pleaded before her partners erratic behavior got them killed. 

Her movements were stopped upon seeing Klingston stride outside, staring daggers into Sadie's heart. The Sith looked back at the teenage boy strapped to a flatbed, out of oxygen, chest heaving upwards after each rough breath taken. Mykle could not register what was happening, his mind was happy to escape the torture for a brief moment. "Who are you?" Klingston's calm demeanor threw the Twi'lek off, her heart still raced, legs fidgeted. She was getting antsy. 

When Sadie remained silent, she made an attempt for her weapon only to be hoisted upwards by an invisible hand. Her back crashed against the ceiling, letting out a loud scream. Quillius saw this and immediately took to firing away at Klingston in the cramped hallway. Like a dishrag she dropped the Twi'lek and deflected the blue laser blasts exerting minimal effort. 

Sadie reached for her lightwhip, grabbing her wrist and jerking the Sith off balance. This gave Quillius the window to send her lying on the floor, unconscious from the head wound. Sadie saw Klingston was still very alive. A wound in her torso will defiantly slow her down. 

It was much easier to put away the Steel and the interrogation droid. Once Mykle was freed, his limp legs fell into Sadie's arms, unable to believe what he was seeing. "Sadie?" He squinted, as the Twi'lek hoisted the smaller teen over her shoulder. 

"We gotta get out of here!" Was all she said and then she made a mad dash out into the narrow hallway. Soon, they were cornered on both ends. Klingston still laid unconscious, Sadie worried how long until she came too and finished them off. Her and Quillius opened fire, gentle in placing Mykle down behind a thick support beam on the right side. 

Mykle's brain took time to process the previous events. He couldn't feel his chest, left leg or even fingers. His pride was the only source for a will to contribute. "Give me a blaster!" His dry throat pestered Sadie. Tugging on her tan sleeve. 

"Are you insane?!" She only eyed him to prove how depleted he was. "I'm not taking a corpse home!" But that image didn't deter Mykle, only succeeding in fueling the want to prove her so wrong. Persistent and honestly annoying, Sadie saw little reason not to give in to his demands since the Steels were slowly closing in and ready to suffocate them. 

"Stick by me!" She ordered, reluctantly handed him a DC-15 Pistol, equipped with a scope usually found on sniper rifles. Three precise shots, three fallen Steels. Aiming right for the demonic yellow eyes. Fire red chest. More fell. A tingling sensation started to flow through Mykle's fingertips, what you feel when your sleepy leg has started moving again. Sadie create a window for them by throwing another electromagnetic pulse bomb, this time it took down six of them. A large opening showed itself and the band wasted zero time gunning for it. 

The trio slouched against the walls once in the elevator shaft, Mykle's legs had the sturdiness of noodles. Shaking with each stride. Sadie reloaded her cartridge, handed one to Quillius and another to Mykle. "This is the last one, so make them all count." Sadie warned them. "We've got to be clever in how take some of these guys out." 

"So instead of gunshot, we'll have to bash their brains in." Quillius chuckled. "Is that clever?" Mykle let out a soft laugh. Brushing back his sweaty brown hair, a mess of a thing, very unkempt. Occasionally getting in his eyes. 

"You need a haircut." Sadie noted Mykle's unappealing dew. 

"I know. Wouldn't you believe they didn't even offer one to me." He quipped. The tone in the elevator shaft became lighter, the sense of dread began to fade. 

"Thanks for saving me." Mykle said in all honesty. 

"Don't thank us yet." Quillius said. "We can't go back to our ship, surely to be under their beady eyes." He was right. The Separatists courted their rusty old starship. It wasn't going anywhere. "Only way we leave here alive, is if we commandeer a freighter."

"They have allot of light freighters, I prefer the 290 model." Quillius said as if he were at a dealership. The shaft reached its destination, four floors down from the main hanger. "Why'd we get off here?" Mykle asked, peeved that he'd have to work his gimpy ankles.

"You wanna come across blaster fire the moment those doors open?" Sadie sarcastically asked him. "This entire complex is aware of our presence, it won't be long until they search this floor." 

"What about Vic?" Quillius could not forget the hacker. "Of the Separatist find him-" Mykle interrupted, very befuddled.

"Who's Vic?" Mykle asked. Sweat on his forehead, quite agitated, groaning at the thought of having to covertly search the building for a face he cannot recognize.

"A droid programmed to break through firewalls. He's not on the ship - don't worry." Sadie eased Mykle's concerns. "He'll cover his tracks." She assured Quillius.

"Like he had the cameras covered?" Quillius was unconvinced. "We could have used key cards and it wouldn't have made a difference!" Sadie shushed Quillius before he attracted attention. She needed time to ponder their next move. 

"How'd you guys know I was here?" Mykle asked, he figured there was a right time and place to broach the subject, but he felt their odds of getting caught - and killed were very high so might as well pop the question. 

"I'll tell you another time." The Twi'lek had bigger things to worry about. 

"There they are!" A deep voiced Super Battle Droid announced to his fellow durasteel brethren. "Blast them!" The four battle droids fell easily. With the whole floor and the building now aware of where the perpetrators are, low on weaponry, the three needed to think fast. 

"Quillius, rip out the droids arm!" The Kiffarian looked at her like she was nuts. "There are cartridges inside there, take them out and reload. You too, Mykle." They didn't bother to discuss the time this act would consume. They couldn't be in a rush. This was now a pure survival mission. A very sloppy rescue has lead to them scraping what ever they could find to keep them alive for a little while longer.

"Some rescue." Mykle muttered under his breath, adding a roll of the eyes. Quillius took exception. 

"Remind me next time to leave you." He said bitterly. Sadie played peacemaker before the two could be at each other's throats. 

Meanwhile, Sadie played with the wires of door panels, to ensure at the very least a difficult road block in the Seppies attempt to capture them. "Room 626, your door has malfunctioned." A shrill robotic voice scratched Sadie's eardrum. Was there any organics working in this thing?" It drove Sadie mad. 

"Uh..." Sadie froze, looking for a dodge to avoid making this any more difficult. Understanding she couldn't pass for a robot, the Twi'lek merely shot the intercom. "Come on you two!" 

Choosing to forgo the elevator shaft and venture down the stairs - Steels had difficulties when having to climb staircases, super battle droids had less of an issue. 

"Hey, Quill, still got those charges?" Sadie showed a malevolent look in her ocean blue eyes, almost sadistic. He cautiously nodded his head, handing her two of eight he had in his backpack. Sadie wasted no time placing two on each staircase after reaching its end. By the time they reached the hanger bay, Quillius knew what was the Twi'lek's angle. Not only was she going to destroy and block any entry of the droids, but also takeout a good portion of the prison complex. 

All droids in the hanger bay were on high alert of course. Taking cover beyond crates nearby, Sadie pressed the red button, fire took over the north side of the hanger bay. Catwalks fell on to nearby fighters, cranes and other utilities. Steels and super droids alike ran towards the chaos - a possible feature in their programming that involved tending to what ever fire that was near them.

The trio stowed away on a medium sized freighter and blasted off before any of the clankers could know before it was too late. Sadie was hot-wired the machine like she'd done it a thousand times. Never once did she express hesitation. Mykle wanted to do some damage to the hanger bay prior to leaving. Quillius and Sadie didn't like the idea, due to the risk it would be to stick around any longer. A good portion of the fighters were destroyed in the fire anyways. The two weren't concerned with the upcoming chase. 

"I can't believe it," Mykle plopped on the floor back against the wall, running his trembling, sweaty fingers through his damp hair. "we broke out of Hightown!" There was a chuckle added in to his voice. Somehow finding this somewhat funny. His mood shifted drastically. The Seppies wouldn't like this one bit. They'd hunt Mykle down to the ends of the universe - especially Klingston. They knew his name, face and worse of all: they knew he was a Force sensitive. It was bad enough Mykle had to move from town to town by the week, now he has to hop from system to system to avoid detection. He couldn't sneak into the Republic. Wasn't old enough to live out on his own in those territories. Only way he could if he became a Jedi. 

"I can't tell you how much this means to me." He started to thank Sadie and Quillius. "You two stuck your neck out for me, risked everything and I am eternally grateful." 

Sadie eyed the radar screen seeing three fighters coming in hot on their tail. "Don't thank us yet, Mykle." She wanted to ignite the ships hyperdrive, but did not know how to switch it on. "We're far from their grasp."

"Come on, Kid!" Quillius led Mykle down to the ship's turrets, one on the right, the other the left. Mykle looked at the complex machinery and felt right at home. Being in this situation hundreds of times. "Twenty seconds!" Quillius told Mykle to get in position now.

"Got a quip before we do this?" Mykle asked the Kiffarian who was sitting on pines and needles. He didn't respond. The coldest of looks greeted the sleek Mark I's. Once the copper skinned teen seen those, his temporarily loss focus. The fastest fighters in the entire Separatist armed forces. Mykle now had to recalibrate, only used to fighting a more standard dogfight. 

Using the toggle, Mykle fired mag pulses. If organics were flying the Mark I's it be enough to give them some space, droids have no issue crashing into you. One of the best advantages of having an army of emotionless machines. Quillius nicked the left wing, it faltered towards Mykle's sights and he finished the job. 

The two fighters were more resilient, less prone to making the same mistakes as the other. Flying around the freighter like a fly around rotten fruit, Mykle and Quillius missed, missed and missed, their shoulders tensed up as their frustration grew by the second. 

Sadie screamed as the freighter rocked back and forth being hit. "We loss the nav computer, so no hyperspace!" She's been calculating the route this entire time, only to have all the process wiped away. "So either get better at shooting or we're a floating pile of ash!" 

The Mark I's didn't even shoot back at most times, succeeding in wasting precise ammo. Quillius bellowed out, voice filled with panic. "I'm all out!" He ran to the cockpit and took up the guns in the co-pilots seat. The guns did not work nearly as well, the aim was mediocre. Mykle knew it was up to him to save this rescue mission. Another shot like they just took and it'll all be over. 

Gazing down at his computer, Mykle seen the limited ammo he had yet exhausted in the dogfight. The margin of error became razor thin. 

Mykle swatted one of the two Mark I's like a fly coming across his sights. The knowledge they could not swarm them lifted a weight off his shoulders. Though the last fighter wasn't going out easy. The way it rarely fired made the scene even more maddening. 

The Mark I suddenly remembered its life was expendable and commenced flying right into the freighter. Usually this is where Mykle would panic and fire rapid shots just hoping to get breathing space. That did not happen. Instead a cool feeling came over his shoulders, his back relaxed against the chair, his eyes narrowed as he waited for the fighter to line up in his sights, then fired upon it with all he had. The Mark I brilliantly reverted to a ball of fire, Mykle could almost feel the flame.

"I did it!" Mykle exclaimed, fill of joy, amazed of he just pulled off. "I did it!" He repeated like a broken record. Quillius and Sadie embraced, before he ventured down to the break area, where the droids are re-wired, oiled and checked. He hugged Mykle like a Wookie, arms squishing his neck to the point where breathing almost became impossible. 

"That was amazing!" He said. Sadie bellowed out the same thing from the cockpit. "Now let's get this bucket home so we can burn it." He said nonchalantly.

"I couldn't agree with you more." Mykle said. The two rejoined Sadie in the cockpit and relaxed. Their bones finished vibrating, heart rate returned to normal. Mykle felt himself drift into sleep. Forgetting all his wounds, aching bones and incoming headache. The boy smiled, he never felt so alive and a greater sense of purpose before. Maybe the rebellion wasn't such a bad idea? He wouldn't go that far.

 

"Where to now?" Quillius wondered. The original plan was to drop Mykle back on Lianos. With the Separatists having a strangle hold on that planet it wouldn't be the wisest move to drop him off where he previously was. 

"We'll drop him off near Anchor City." Sadie gave up fixing the nav computer. "We'll give him half of what we get for this ship on the market." 

"How many times he's been on the move since he left home? Three? Four?" Quillius showed genuine concern for Mykle. 

"This is what he signed up for." Sadie had little room for empathy. "Foolish of him to go out on his own." 

"We all gotta at some time." He defended. "I left home when I was around his age." 

"I know you can relate to him, but that doesn't validate uprooting himself from his family." Sadie had this discussion with her partner numerous times. The missions the three went on for two years gave her the impression Mykle wanted to be a smuggler like them, shocking Sadie when it didn't turn out to be so. 

"Oh? Then what is it you did those years ago?" Quillius kinda called her a hypocrite, Sadie did not have a response ready. 

"Think he's afraid" Quillius choose his next three words carefully. "to fight them?"

Sadie looked him dead in the eyes, sure of her beliefs. "I know it." 

 

When he woke up Mykle expected to back on Lianos, figuring he'd be able to lay low for a while. Surely more important matters would direct the Separatists attention away from him. Rumors had been swirling of possible involvement of the Republic on Lianos, whoever Kory Mikan was friends with in the senate was obviously powerful. 

Rested and refreshed Mykle stretched his back and neck, feeling as limber as every. He seen Sadie and Quillius sitting quietly in the cockpit piloting the freighter. It seems Sadie gave up trying to fix the nav computer as it was still busted. "Where are we?" He asked expecting the answer to be near Lianos. By the looks of the black space out the window he then believed they were looking for a refueling station. Turns out neither was true.

"Coming in on Onderaan." Sadie said nonchalantly, like Mykle would have no qualms with this sudden change of direction.

"Wait, what?!" His throat scratched. "Why?"

"It's too big of a risk to drop you off on Lianos, we're doing you a favor." Quillius said. After a while of talking about it, he came into agreement with Sadie on her position. 

"Well what if I didn't want you to do me the favor?" His face became red. 

"Look, it's either you tag along with us or take your chances with the Seppies." Sadie told him to rationalize the situation. "Besides, Onderaan is great, you'll love it." She smirked, Mykle could tell there was more to this place than they were telling. 

"Alright alright." He threw up his hands. "Fine. When do we land?"

"Ten minutes." Resigning to his fate, he did believe they were right. Where could he have gone other than away from Lianos? What was there for him anyway, besides Tiana? Did the Separatists know she existed?

Both Sadie and Quillius needed a drink, a brief respite from their daily hassle, so they hung their hats at the Query Saloon in Tion. "Hardest stuff you got on the shelf, Mack." Sadie pounded her palm on the table revealing four single credits enough for both her and Quillius who had what she was having. Mykle had water, not in the mood for a drink. He tasted the liquor his friends always preferred, didn't really taste too good. It was bitter, and smelled of rubbing alcohol. 

He sat down, mostly beside himself, loss for words at what transpired in just a few short hours. "So, Mykle," Quillius grabbed the teen's attention. "Me and Sadie have this job lined up. Might need your help. You in?" Mykle looked at the Kiffarian like he was crazy. 

"First off, don't talk business in a public place." He started, clearly annoyed. "Second, depends what it entails." It's not like he could afforded to have many reservations. 

"It's just a simple pick up and drop off." Quillius spoke softly, Sadie leaned in. "No muss no fuss." Somehow Mykle didn't seem convinced, neither was Sadie.

"This is the first I'm hearing of this." She downed her blue liquid and signaled for Quillius to do the same. "Come on, let's get out of here and talk about it." She saw some questionable creatures cradle their guns close to their chests, scared things would start popping off if they caught word of Quillius deal. 

It was tough for Mykle to hide the angst behind leaving the saloon, the entire place gave him the creeps. Dimly lit, smoke clouded most of the room, and from what Mykle could see it seemed every big eyed gangster was staring right at him. He was glad to get out of there. 

"Who's the contact?" Mykle asked, both him and Sadie double checked to see if they were being tailed. 

"He goes by Fulton, he's an art collector, lives on Lianos in fact." Quillius said it like it was wonderful coincidence. "He loves Jedi and Sith artifacts and will pay top dollar for it. Paid some guy 45,000 for three lightsaber crystals!" Mykle's eyes became the size of the moon. 45,000 credits! That's fifteen-thousand credits for each of them. Goodbye financial woes. 

"What about our other affairs?" Sadie was the only one not seduced by the large number. Quillius brushed it off. "Last I checked, ships and guns cost money." 

"What are you two talking about?" Mykle wanted to know badly, considering he'd be risking his life for what ever it was Sadie and Quillius were involved in. 

"You don't need to know." He said, almost baiting him to keep pressing. "You ain't a part of it." It was that stupid fight against the Seppies. They're still involved in that?

"Honestly I don't know why you guys waste your time with that kind of activism." Mykle came to ridicule the idea of rebellion when he seen how far the hand of an imperial movement stretched. "Can't win against a foe that sees your every move." 

Sadie smiled brightly. "Won't know till you try." 

"They'll catch us before we even start." Mykle said.

"You think we're new to this?" Sadie laughed hard. "We've risked our lives before, Briggs, for smaller sums of money." Mykle gave more thought to the idea. Even if he can never go back home to Lianos, 15,000 credits is a good way to start a new life. 

"It's a quick in and out job." Quillius didn't need to say anymore, Mykle wasn't onboard anyway. 

"I can't do it. I'm not getting mixed up in this rebellion business." A defiant Mykle protested the thought of him getting involved. "Listen, you do what you guys gotta do, but I'm going home." Mykle was about to walk off to where he did not know. Sadie pushed the boy back against the wall and looked at his eyes with a fire he was not used to seeing the Twi'lek exhibit.

"That's all this is to you, a 'business'?" Sadie curled her hands into a fist. "I've wanted to liberate my home for half the time you've been alive!" Quillius was started to worry of Sadie's rising voice, also if she was going to hurt Mykle by the way she was speaking.

"They've ruined our home, taken advantage of our good people and sucked our land dry of its resources, and do you care!" She didn't mean that as a question, as she already knew. 

"You think I like the Confederacy?" Mykle spoke up, a slight quiver in his voice. "I hate it!" He confessed. "My friends are drafted into droid maintenance, forced to serve some King hand and foot. I want nothing more than to free them." His eyes began to droop, looking down to the cold hard ground. 

"Then you better do something about it, cause its people like you that let the evil reign is the reason Lianos is what it is."

They would leave tomorrow at sunrise, until then they needed to bathe, eat and rest. Onderaan is a very nice place this time of year, the leaves started to change color and fall on the brick roads. Mykle wished he could have explored the planet. Being stuck on Lianos for so long, only venturing outside of it once to Coruscant at the age of ten, made him forget what the universe truly has to offer outside of petty theft.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Young, naive Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano gets a glance at the state of the Republic

Padmé Amidala despised being under the watchful eye of the chancellor's cold gaze. She didn't think too highly of the Jedi appointing guards like she couldn't handle herself. Reminiscent of a year prior when an assassin placed a bounty on her head. Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, then his the apprentice, served her. It's not she did not appreciate their work, quite the contrary, she owed her life to them. The sad eyes of the body doubles that walk past her everyday, tasked only with triggering land mines. She seen herself die a few times. Obi-Wan flung himself out of windows, Anakin jumped in and out of speeders for her. She felt more a danger to those she cared about more than feared for her own safety. 

This time the Jedi believed, along with the chancellor, that only Anakin was needed to guard Padmé. Her apartment collected rows and rows of disposable Clone lives all about the building. Cameras in and out her bedroom. The Republic pulled out all the stops just for her. And just like last time, she hated it so. 

"I know this must be stressful, I will protect you senator, you can be assured." Anakin was never a good deceiver, unable to code his language or even just talk normal when around it when in the presence of one who did not know of their relationship. Luckily, the Clone captain Rex did not pay attention to the odd choice of words. Skywalker dismissed him back to his post, this left him and his wife time alone.

The two certainly looked from two different walks of life. Padmé wore a green bodice, dress covering her entire leg, a gold necklace hung over her neck. Simple, yet elegant. Anakin, like all times his eyes met her, had his heart caught in his throat. The stress of hiding their relationship dominated his mind, it seemed the senator was the stronger of the two in keeping ones' emotions in check. 

"In the events things are similar to before?" Padmé wondered if the same strategy would be implemented. The one where Jedi jump out of windows and fall out the sky. Anakin shook his head. 

"No, senator," he laid out his reasoning, a bit dry in the throat. "There isn't any suspects here. No organization has risen to take credit for Mikan's assassination. This may be indefinite." This partly made Skywalker's heart drop. He wouldn't always be assigned to keep his wife safe. Feeling like he was the only person right for the job, Anakin floated out the idea to himself of asking the chancellor to twist the council's arm and make him a permanent guard for Padmé. He knew he had a sacred duty to attend to, quite obvious lust and love clouded his otherwise fine judgment.

"That's peachy." She flashed a grin hiding her growing annoyance. Course, Skywalker sensed it all boiling inside her. "Who will lead up the investigation?" Anakin noticed Padmé's caution when pacing around her loft. The dark blinds were drawn, only light came from two miniature desk lamps, Anakin could barley see her. Her paranoia grew since the last time he had been assigned to protect her, yet she still felt all of this additional layer of security was unnecessary. 

They were alone now. Nobody could see, Anakin doubled - then tripled check. He wrapped his non bionic arm around her to feel the warmth of his skin, not the coldness of metal. Smiling down to her smaller frame, glad to get lost in her mystical eyes. "I know you hate this," he whispered in her right ear, his breath made her giggle slightly. "I will never let anything happen to you, so please, accept the way things currently are." He placed a friendly peck on the lips to put the period at the end of his sentence. 

"I don't need to be watched like a little girl, Master Jedi." She darted her brown chocolate eyes to make sure nobody was peaking. Hence referring him by his title. When she knew the coast was clear, she kissed Anakin with a sort of hunger one would expect from not seeing your spouse for four months. He reluctantly pushed her away before her tongue could invade his mouth. 

"Now's not the best time." He whispered so low she could barley make out the words. Letting out a tiny chuckle himself, Anakin smoothed the wrinkles in his black tunic. "Obi-Wan is too preoccupied with the campaign over Mandalore. Most likely, the council with the aide of the chancellor." Sounded obvious he had more faith in the elderly politician than the wise guardians of the Force.

"And you?" She struggled to break out of her flirtatious tone. It didn't bother him, after it made him again forget where he was. She took his cold bionic arm, not afraid of him missing limb. He's still Anakin Skywalker.

"Like I said my lady, I'm always here for you." A sly smile came across his lips, they inches closer for another warm, welcoming kiss. 

Her doors swung open faster than a he could destroy a standard battle droid. Mild contempt ran abruptly through his entire body, blood boiled like a tea pot ready to be taken off the burner. It subsided when he seen who it was. 

"Master?" Anakin seen it was his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, orange skinned Togruta, blue and white stripped montrals, white marked facial features. Close to fifteen, he didn't trust her, and probably never will, with his personal relationships. So she stayed blissfully ignorant of her master's personal affairs. "The council assigned me to assist you in protecting senator Amidala." She didn't notice she was in the presence of the senator. They exchanged awkward waives of the hand. Padmé cleared her throat, sliding to the left away from Skywalker. Hopefully the darkness of the living room kept her from seeing anything. 

"Thank you, Ah- uh, Padawan Tano." She said. Anakin rolled his eyes and walked off to the back of the room. 

"Yeah, thanks, Snips." 

Walking carefully to not trip over any objection that was not visible to her blue eyes. "I've heard about Mikan, and how you two worked to end the Separatist occupation of Lianos." Padmé nodded, her mood now glum. 

"He was a brave man to die for what he believed to be right, he knew the risk and valued freedom over anything else." She now had to fight the senate to not undo any of the progress he made to free Lianos.

"The original plan was to get the chancellor and the Jedi to agree to mount an invasion of the Separatists on the planet. The senate hasn't given the chancellor the right to go to open up the front." Anakin said. Gridlock. A feature, not a bug, of bureaucratic politics.

"Doesn't the chancellor have emergency powers, and in full control of the Clone army?" Ahsoka was perplexed by the political complexities. 

"You've taught her well, Skywalker." Padmé eyed Anakin. 

"Trust me, I don't want her near politics." He noted. Ahsoka noticed the two's friendly looks, but didn't press on.

"The Clone War is at an all time low in popularity, the senate is deliberating whether to rescind the chancellor's emergency powers, which they have the ability to do, and vote on whether to open up peace talks with Dooku." The senator continued. Always found it difficult to condense her colleagues ineptitude in simple terms. "This is, if we're honest, a pure public relations stunt to make it seem the people still have a voice in the matter. And it's the perfect time to do it since most of their seats are up for reelection in a few months." 

"Ah, I love politics." Anakin couldn't stand being in the senate building for more than a second. Now he was gonna be inside the most corrupt hall in the galaxy for a full session. 

The doors slid open again, this time a human male Bail Organa walked through the frame, mid-40's, a black haired goatee on his chin and slick backed black hair. "Senator Amidala, the senate will begin session in a half hour." He offered to escort the former queen of Naboo. "My suggestion is to keep the protection." He meant half-heartily, mostly in attempt to lighten up the tense atmosphere. 

"I've been assigned to protect, senator Organa." Anakin said. Attempts to attack the senate building, the hysteria has driven most to appear only by hologram. 

"Senator," Bail began, very formal as if they haven't worked together for years now. "with the assassination of our ally I believe it be best if you'd stay in closed quarters." If Padmé had a dollar for every time she's been asked to stay home during a brief moments of paranoia. 

"I will not let fear dictate my actions, Bail." She said forcefully, before Anakin could chime in with his opinion. 

"Very well. I do believe this is no place for your padawan, Master Jedi." Bail didn't mean to sound condescending. He honestly thought Ahsoka was too young to be in such a hostile place. Anakin could tell Bail was truly concerned, so he let the words slide. Ahsoka didn't see it that way. 

"I've seen more action in one year of fighting than you have your entire life." She snipped at him, very chippy in her tone. Padmé rolled her eyes, she's Anakin's padawan. 

"Please excuse her, senator." Anakin rushed to apologize. He held up his tan hand signaling it was no trouble.

"I assure you, Ahsoka can handle herself. I trust her with my life." Padmé stood up for the Togrutan teenager. Bail relented and lead the way to the senate hall.

"You sure Ahsoka won't find this boring?" Anakin whispered to Padmé. He remembered his first time in the senate. Usually a man of action, Anakin could not wait to hit the hay once the session was over. Long talks about the complexities of banking, amendments being attached to bills that had nothing to do with what was actually purpose of the piece of legislation in the name of the rich. Exhausted him greatly and disgust him. The only reason he kept going was to spend time with Padmé. Safe to say he'd do it all again for her.

"She needs to learn how the Republic works if she's gonna grow up and be a knight like her master one day." She spoke she was the mother of her child, jokingly omitting that sitting still was not in Ahsoka's nature.

"Besides, you can teach her all you know." She winked at him, knowing he could have cared less about politics when he was in his late teens. 

 

Anakin could tell from faraway the chancellor looked bewildered sitting in his chair, awaiting for all to be seated to gavel. His eyes looked unfocused, distant and layered thick with concern. 

Since his appointment to Jedi Knight, Skywalker's spent a good amount of time around the chancellor. Frequently venting his frustrations at the anemic pace in which the Jedi make their decisions. Sounding an awful like a corporate board meeting than an organization tasked with defending the galaxy. 

"If all can be seated we can begin." He needed to speak closely to the microphone in order for his voice to echo throughout the entire hall. Anakin could tell he had no voice at all, very scratchy and low. 

The session began with bureaucrats eager to get back to their own business. Padmé, as per usual, threw a monkey wrench in those plans. Before the sending of support to Lianos could be brought up to a vote, she stood up and started to speak at a volume that made her microphone unnecessary. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, what we have here is a decision to whether or not to extend a helping hand to a possible ally that can help us save countless lives in an already messy war. The battles may be fought between two 'expendable' armies so some of you think the death toll is nothing more than a statistic, but the civilian, mercenary, and Jedi casualties say otherwise. There is a great deal of blood on all our hands, and may we be helped if we do not wash ourselves clean." 

"She's trying to guilt them into voting for Republic, Jedi involvement?" Ahsoka asked, finding this very odd. 

"The senate can't dictate where the Jedi will be deployed. This is for the right to use combat troops." Bail informed her. "This isn't a bad strategy." He also said, liking Padmé hitting the bureaucrats right where it hurts in front of their constituents watching from home, reminding many likely voters that the war is no matter to be indifferent towards.

"I was against this war before it's inception, still am, and I wear that proudly on my sleeve. What I will never condone is allowing the oppression of countless innocents." Right at the end the senate erupted in cheers, mad cheers. They wanted to vote. Taken over by patriotism and pride the senators voted unanimously for Republic military involvement on Lianos.

Palpatine watched it all unfold, unable to gain control of the rowdy, fretful senate. Something needed to be done, he couldn't allow for the Republic to gain such an advantage over the Separatists forces. Not yet. Not when there was so much left to do.   
"We are going to war." He said to one aide close by. His mind raced to find a way to quell the madness. 

"If I veto this, on the grounds of our debt, we run the risk of running into this issue when I want to do something." Palpatine knew this wasn't the time to defer, best to fold his hand and wait for the next one. He gaveled and called for the vote of their were to be no protest. 

The vote came down. Out of the 10,000 senators, 8,490 voted in favor of military action to be taken on Lianos. 1,510 were against.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With thorn in his side Padmé Amidala, Chancellor Palpatine scrambles to search for a way to get rid of her

When the day started it was assumed by the two sides would go their separate ways. Feelings were quite bitter, words were exchanged between Mykle and Sadie, challenging the others intelligence and moral values. Quillius never seen the two verbally spare like this before. Unable to put the fire out it burned for most of the night, neither side got tired in making their point.

She piloted the ship - now on autopilot, and debated all at the same time. 

"People have better things to do than to face gunfire all day!" Mykle took the plight of the average soul living under the boot of an oppressive regime under allot of sympathy. "If you could give your kids a decent life, send them to school everyday on a full stomach, and all you have to do is keep your head down why would you?" 

"Because if you don't take the gunfire now, your kids will!" Sadie countered, forceful in her opinion. "How long until those crumbs you covet so are taken off the table completely?" It wasn't a matter of if, but when. Drip by drip Lianos citizens were squeezed and only destined to continue to rot. 

"We had people who stood up and look where they are?" Mykle wanted to list off all the names of the deceased courageous dissenters in the parliament, very apolitical, he still memorized the names. "Mikan wasn't the only one to meet his end for talking too much. They'll kill you and move on to the next rebel." 

"If you stand for nothing, then you live for nothing!" She almost jabbed her index finger in Mykle's chest. 

The night went on like this back and forth. Mykle sounded allot like his peers, many not interested in getting involved in the whole Clone War recited the same exact points. Sadie sensed a twinge, a crack in Mykle's voice, perhaps a lack of conviction in what he was saying back to her. "The words you are speaking are of a scared individual." A look of revulsion came across his face, crinkling his nose. 

"You're right I'm scared!" He couldn't believe she couldn't grasp on to that point. "You didn't see your idealistic friends die, I did. You didn't pass by their houses every day. I did. You haven't even been on Lianos for months, you don't even know what's going on down their anymore. I do." 

"Then tell me what's going on?" She asked.

"No one can live there lives without fear of persecution. If you associated with a suspected rebel you're thrown in a cold cell. There is no freedom. Dooku employs people to run the planet like a gangster would his turf."

Quillius heard enough of this and burst in. "We all know what it's like to live on Lianos, none of us are ignorant to the facts." He said very calmly, but on the verge of losing it. "Mykle, the reasons you just stated is why me and Sadie joined the rebellion."

"The rebellion wants the Republic's help, and you're gonna rob the Jedi caves?" Mykle saw the two's plans as dim witted and destined to come back to them in a bad way. 

"They're not coming!" Sadie said confidently. "If anything, the Galactic Republic is about to be split in two to the confederacy." 

"How much you wanna bet you're wrong?" The teen crossed his eyes, narrowing his eyes. "How much are you willing to put up that the assassination that just took place of Mikan doesn't galvanize them into sending help?" 

When Sadie was finished scoffing, she finally answered him. "If that happens, then I'll sincerely apologize to you." 

"Okay. Everyone place their bets? Good. Now let's move on to more important issues." Mercifully the ride ended, Quillius let out a big sigh of relief. "Ponti, Lianos, home." He narrated to notify Mykle to get out before he started another argument. 

"Ponti?" Mykle became confused. "I thought you were dropping me off in MiCo." 

"Occupied by the Seppies. Not doable. Travel there at your own peril, kid." The door opened, bridge unfolded down with a loud mechanical pop. Sadie followed Mykle down, her face softer than what it was before.

"Take this." She handed him a blaster. "Yours was busted, this one is state of the art." Mykle looked at her skeptically. "Okay, its better than that piece of junk you called a weapon." She walked back her previous statement. "It's dangerous out there." She warned. Mykle wasn't too fretful. 

"Nothing I haven't seen, i'm sure." Little did he know. "Thanks, I appreciate this." He inspected the pistol, quite the upgrade from what he was used to. The power pack held more rounds, wouldn't have to reload after only five shots. 

\-------

A debacle. No way else to put it. They allowed a prisoner, a hefty bargain chip escape, no facial recognition of the culprits who did it. This was unacceptable. Klingston wished she could fire or instal fear into the hearts of her troops, but them being cold metal droids they wouldn't care even the slightest. 

"I am very displeased at your incompetence, Klingston." Count Dooku appeared via hologram, the blue light illuminated the dark room where Klingston made the call. "I thought you had good news for me." He didn't ask, he already knew what happened to that 'good' news.

"I will not let it happen again, my Lord." Klingston swallowed what was left of her pride, through gritted teeth she profusely apologized and hoped to be let off the hook. His cold stare down on to his kneeling apprentice, practically begging not to be thrown away gave his ego a satisfaction. Before he worried Klingston was getting too confident in her abilities, guess he could shelf that idea. 

"Was there another reason for you to contact me?" Dooku wished to move on, Klingston's stiff tense back relaxed as she picked up her bruised chin.

"I wish to draft recruits from the more friendly areas of Lianos, I need organics that can serve the confederacy." This request baffled the elder Sith. 

"Our droid army is one of the most advanced in all of the galaxy, far more than the clone army of the faltering Republic. Perhaps it isn't the army itself, but their leader." Dooku had no time to rub elbows with governor's of the recently conquered territories. Figuring out how to pay and keep the soldiers happy wasn't another headache he wished to be heaped upon him.

"With all due respect, Master," Klingston choose her next words carefully. "the army lacks moral, the ability to adapt under different circumstances. The elites will fund the army, as long as we promise not to draft any of their kin." 

"You've discussed this prior to today?" He raised a white eyebrow, suspicious of his apprentice's behavior. 

"Yes." She confessed. "Give me an army of droids and organics and I promise you, Lianos will be under your boot." 

After taking a brief moment to consider, Dooku relented and decided what would be the harm. "You will get your wish, my apprentice." He didn't even have to say what would happen if she failed, his low voice already tipped her off of the possible consequences. She turned on her communicated once the transmission was cut, the wheels having been greased prior to this conversation. 

"TK-1002," She barked the recruitment droid's numerical code name. "Begin enlistments in pro-Confederacy areas, Hako, Morishead, and MiCo." 

"Yes, sir!" It blindly followed the orders he was never programmed to question. Klingston liked a solider who didn't ask questions - to many at least. But for all their magnificent abilities, they sorely lacked in adapting, coupled in their bad appearance. Klingston wanted more than to just conquer lands, she wanted the lands of the fallen to join her in the battle. A separatist coalition of farmers, factory weapons, every day working men and women of all races in creeds to build of moral for the movement. People would think twice before shooting at their local neighbor.

Neighbor against neighbor. Poetic isn't it?

\--------

Mykle clutched his new blaster tightly to his chest, from the days he's been gone Lianos hasn't improved in condition. Downtown always looked like this though. The walking traffic was abysmal. The sense you could get jumped at any moment grew with each step. Snow started to fall on the sidewalks of downtown Lianos. The fluctuating weather strikes again! Dressed in clothing suited more for the warmer seasons, Mykle shivered, his teeth clanked against each other, top half against the bottom half.

"Couldn't have given me a few credits for a cab ride back to MiCo!" Mykle barley could stand in this weather, the hairs on his legs stood up, goosebumps became easily visible. He did have some money, but he chose to keep it for a room in a nearby motel. Sure it's slimy, dinky and he swore he just seen a wamprat scurry on by in the lobby, but it would have to do until tomorrow. The sun is down, no possible way to guide himself to MiCo without getting mugged. 

\----

"So politics is that, huh?" Ahsoka had her preconceived notion of what being a senator entailed, she stayed by Padmé, not paying too much mind to her master, who tailed behind them.

"Using the bully pulpit, yes!" Padmé never ceased to use such tactics. "Sides will point to lack of funds, resources, or calamity an action such as this would cause. Never mind the senate voting yes to keep the war effort going, basically writing a blank check to the military industrial complex I've spent my whole career fighting again, they will still say 'it's not financially feasible.'" Her tone didn't bother to hid the disgust as she rambled. The frustration in her reach it's boiling points, times when she needed her husband the most. Often finding herself alone. 

"Why are they so difficult?" Ahsoka asked. Anakin rolled his eyes, preparing for the long speech about special interest running the senate. What does he care? The Jedi make their own decree whether or not to aid the senate in their declaration of war. 

"Lots of things," Padmé felt an odd sense to not mince words, much to Anakin's relief or else this would have been a longer walk back to her apartment. "mainly ninety-six of senators, regional governors, mayors are bought. Can't say it doesn't come with its set of advantages." She thought of herself highly. Ahsoka was confused and raised a white facial masking on her orange face. 

"What are those?" She asked.

"Senator Amidala keeps a record of all the senators and who are their most wealthy benefactors. It's good for twisting arms, threatening to go to the press and out them." Anakin told his Padawan.

"But why wouldn't you just expose them?" The fourteen-year old pondered. 

"For the time being, this is the best way to bring the Clone War to and end." She said, catching the irony. "And I just proposed we open up a front right next to Mandalore." She weakly chuckled.

"Lianos is near Mandalore?" The Togruta couldn't believe it, the area dominated by tuft craven gangsters lived right next to warlords.

"How they hate their sibling planet so." Padmé reflected. "Lianos used to be so much more than what it currently is. The war between Mandalore that lasted a generation depleted their resources and bankrupted them."

"The Duchess Satine has been interested in recruiting their militia to help fight the group Death Watch, which has already assassinated Mandalore's prominent political leaders."

"She's given funds to a 'moderate' group of freedom fighters. We'll try and link up with them." Padmé said to Anakin, unsettled by the shaky alliance it seems he has to work with. 

"Mandalore, Llanos, two planets, same ideals, always fighting." Anakin summarized. 

\-------

Mykle awoke to the warm sun shining through the cloudy windows. His eyelids fluttered open, the first time he's gotten a good night's rest in months. Well worth his forty-five credits. Splashing some cold water on his drowsy face, Mykle wasted little time in getting back to MiCo. The walk shouldn't be as treacherous like prior to today; bright sun, mildly warmer weather. 

It seemed time had stood still in Downtown. There wasn't a soul out in the streets with Mykle - which made him worry. What could be going on? He pondered the possibilities: couldn't put his finger on it. Separatist forces were nowhere near Downtown apparently, whereas before you couldn't go a minute without seeing a gigantic machine clanking against the cement sidewalk. 

The streets became flooded with vehicles, walking traffic, people running from one specific direction like headless chickens; little regard of where they were headed to, just wanting to escape. Staying close to the walls as to avoid being trampled on, Mykle sought a reason for this sudden burst of chaos, again finding little as no one felt they had the time to stop and explain. 

"Turn back!" He heard over and over again yelled out to him. Mykle didn't care for them. Believing he could handle what ever was causing the hysteria he soldiered on. 

"Mykle!" He halted his steps, turned back to see Morty barley able to keep up in the crowd, his slow pace would surely cost him. His tired and pale face urged caution to the copper skinned teen. "Where are you going?" He asked more rhetorically than literally. 

"What's going on?" Mykle wished to know, he was calm, not partaking in the scene unfolding around him.

"They tried to conscript an army, many refused, then they started making examples, the militias bought us time to escape." Morty tried to grab Mykle's shoulder in attempt to drag him away, but he refused, a sudden sense of urgency infected him.

"I have to go to Nyko!" He started his sprint for MiCo, pushing those in his way to the ground with little regard. 

His strides were short, the ground he covered wasn't much. Grabbing his hip feeling like the organ was doomed to burst from his body. But he kept on running unable to get the worse images out of his head. The what ifs flooded like a tidal wave. Are they dead? Where's Nyko? Is the farm still there? 

When he stepped foot in his old stomping grounds, it blazed like a fireplace. All of MiCo burned, many who could not escape the clutches of the Separatists were held up at gunpoint, either shot or taken away to either a prison or work camp. 

Clutching to his blaster in his sweaty palm he proceeded with caution and took advantage of the cover the fires provided. The droid army was too preoccupied in capturing those who ran from conscription, they shot at them with such precision never exhibited by Steels before. Usually they'd just overwhelm enemy forces in their numbers, overpower them with their brute force. Something changed in how the Seppies wired these things.

Destroyers rolled in hot pursuit also, a sight that made Mykle hold on to his blaster extra tight. He hated these things the most. You couldn't outrun them, their shots were usually wide, not as accurate as the super battle droids, yet they were more effective. 

Their small bean sized red dot eyes zeroed in on its prey and struck them down in the coldest of blood. Not being able to withstand watching, Mykle got involved - an act he knew he'd soon regret. 

One constant flaw in destroyers are their naked backsides open to any every man that wished to take them head on. When two cornered a family of six, Mykle took his opening and blasted the two into smithereens, depleting his already scarce ammo. 

"Thank you!" A woman, looked to be in her early sixties repeatedly said, she dragged what must have been her children off into the distance before Mykle could say a word. 

"Hey!" A human dressed in the most decadent attire bright powder blue vest, gold buttons, blacker than cold pants and matching high boots. He pointed directly at the street rat and ordered his men to apprehend the troublemaker. 

Mykle wasted no time in hightailing it out of his sights. "The Seppies are using organics to move the army now, huh? That's new." Mykle noticed the change in military tactics of Kerry Klingston. "Forced conscriptions doesn't sound like a Dooku plan, this must be the work of one of his lap dogs." He didn't have too much time to think about it, as his pursuers lacked the limit of stamina.

"Destroyers shoot him!" The admiral shouted, withdrawing his own pistol and began to fire, nicking Mykle in the lower ankle. Hobbled, but not broken, Mykle painfully eluded falling into the hands of the Separatists a second time. 

"Come out, boy!" The admiral demanded. Mykle clutched to the wall, looking at his cartridge to find his ammo empty. His chest heaved like a rising hill, breathing hectic. Coming out into the light he swept the admiral across the alleyway, smashing his body into the concrete wall, knocking him out cold. Looking at his work, Mykle noted his unintentional pain he caused the admiral. 

"I'm sorry." He said sorrowfully. "But you left me no choice." In the winds he heard the heavy metal clanking of the incoming droids, moving passed his regret, Mykle left the alleyway and hurried to Nyko's homestead. When he got there the homestead burned as bright as all the other buildings in MiCo. No bodies were in Mykle's sights, far too dangerous to barge into the inferno and search for them. Perhaps they've already perished? Their speeder sat idly on the side, burned to a charred crisp, rendered useless. And with it, the hopes of any escape. 

"They wouldn't have made it." He suppressed the growing hope in the pit of his stomach, forcing himself to accept reality as it was, without traveling the path that brought the most pain. "Don't kid yourself." 

The time to mourn was short, soon the admiral would awaken, or more destroyers would roll to where he currently was. Wiping away the tears from his cheeks, Mykle took one long breath and started to venture to the farmlands, in the opposite direction the citizens nearly trampled him at. 

"They're expecting more to go Downtown, right?" He thought to himself. The idea turned out to be a sound one. Outside of a few patrol vehicles that had the speed of a snail, and lacked the sufficient lighting to scour the farmland. Predictably, little farming was going on. The lights to the houses were still on. Mykle figured they were more accepting to the conscriptions, and added the Confederates imposed a curfew for them. "They won't stop there." He said only to himself. Tyrants never are satisfied with what their beaten peasants provide them.

That being said, it's not like there wasn't a need to set an example of what would happen to any rebellious activity. Four men, two of Togruta race, one of Dathomirian, Zabrak, the other a human laid sprawled out, dirt, bugs seeping into their chest wounds. Their blasters still in their respective hands. 

"Must be why the outskirts aren't suffering the same fate as MiCo." Mykle bent down to snag the cartridges out of the pistols. The footprints were too deep into the dirt to be made by a mere organic. Had to be from a steel or super battle droid. In an odd turn of events the footprints didn't lead to MiCo, but into the forest at the limits of the outskirts. "Perhaps some tried to make an escape." Mykle figured he'd rather take his chances with the Seppies there, rather than in an open space where he could be snipped or caught in a firefight. One thing the Seppies never perfected with their robot army is the ability to bypass tightly spaced areas. 

\----------

"Our intelligence has informed us of the forced conscriptions forced upon the citizens of Lianos." Captain Rex started the orientation to his men, the Jedi sent to lead the battle, Anakin Skywalker, his padawan, and a young human Jedi Knight by the name of Jayson Flynn stood to the side and listened intently. 

"In the first two hours over six-thousand have joined the Separatists caused, two towns, MiCo and Hako put up the most resistance, as a result their cities burned till the crack of dawn. The death totals are unknown." The mood darkened, clones shuffled in their seats, obviously uneasy of the whole thing. 

"They're recruiting citizens? But they have an endless swath droids." One chimed in, finding the change in the military not only unnecessary, but downright idiotic. 

"We believe it is a ploy to quell the insurgent feelings on Lianos." Rex theorized.

"A ploy?" Marius was even more befuddled by the attempt to understand the Separatist actions. "Has Dooku lost his mind?" 

"It is harder to fire at your own neighbor, Marius, most likely this is what they wished to accomplished. So far they've gotten two-thousand men and women in uniform being trained here in Brokeridge Park, a heavily fortified base five kilometers from the city of MiCo, which now lay in ruins." 

"So we go in to Brokeride and fight the army?" Burr didn't like this plan. "I thought we were trying to liberate the planet, not takedown a bunch of reluctant soldiers." 

"We can takedown the fort, strip It of their weapons and manpower, those who wish to join us in the fight will." Rex made it all so simple. An art Anakin really admired of the solider. 

"Why bother? It's not like we need the numbers." Kelli chirped with his own opinion. For scientifically modified clones they certainly didn't stay silent for long. 

"Like the Separatists want to do, we will gain the trust of the people and Lianos government. They'll owe us support after we do them this favor." Rex spoke more like a businessman more concerned with the top dollar than the freedom of an entire oppressed planet. 

"Any questions?" He never had to field so many in prior briefings. Course he couldn't really blame their curiosity. What should have been rest and recuperation, now thrust into yet another conflict in where their wry bones will have to hold up for who knows how long. 

The room stayed silent, those sitting stared forward at the screen detailing the plan, calculating the death tolls in their heads rather than contemplating on the chances of their own survival. Ready to disperse, Skywalker intervened, sensing the dreary mood. "Being a solider isn't a nine to five job. We all got to work an undetermined amount of time to preserve something we all value." He said as if speaking to a room of normal organics. 

"Freedom for who, General?" Kelli didn't seem motivated. "For us, or only you?"

\-------

With the power struggles in the senate throwing monkey wretches in his grand schemes, chancellor Palpatine clawing his finger nails on the arm of his office chair need to regain control of this war before he went up in smoke. "I've made many miscalculations in my day." He remarked to his advisor Mas Amedda, who stood stiff as a board in attention. "My allies in the senate have abandoned me, I do not possess the materials to get them back." His eyes looked away, dazed and lost. 

"Senator Amidala could still be of use." Amedda said in a meek attempt to keep the chancellor's moral up. 

"She is not the young, naive queen from yesteryear, she is her own." Palpatine said quite darkly. "If I depose her it shall make me a pariah in the eyes of the republic." 

"By depose, I assume you do not mean in a peaceful manner," Mas didn't want to hear Palpatine's response. "May I suggest other means of getting her out the way?" The elder statesmen raised an eyebrow, willing to hear almost anything out. 

"There is an election coming up in the next few months for her seat, as expected Amidala is running for reelection unopposed." 

"You're mad, Amedda, Naboo has and will always be Rationalist Party territory. Any opposition mounted will be crushed like an ant." Palatine scoffed. "I thought you had a plan worthwhile."

"Her opponent doesn't have to come from any of the right-wing party's." That got the Chancellor out of his seat, he paced as his mind raced with the possibilities. 

"A primary..." A smile crept on his face. "Not too bad. But who will we find? The deadline to file to run are in two week."

"Leave that to me, chancellor." Mas said confidently.


	5. Chapter 5

The blaster wound only worsened, it wasn't hard to imagine that happening, but Mykle needed to find help and fast. Unfortunately he seen some hospitals in MiCo go up in flames so the option to turn back - even with the Separatists occupying the charred land - was never an option. Dragging his left ankle, which might as well have been a stump at this point. Unable to lift it off the ground, Mykle rested his back against a tree, taking long breaths, trying to focus his energy away from the searing, growing pain. 

Digging into his rations pack, he eagerly gobbled down two empty calorie bars, rich in trans-fats that only succeeded in satisfying his hunger for a short period of time. 

"Halfway there." Mykle noted, taking a swig of his canteen, the icy water ran down his already cold throat. From a distance, he hear shots being fired, not knowing from which direction and unwilling to stay put, he choose to keep going forward. If he runs into the Separatists, he'll have the territorial advantage, even in his depleted state.

Crackling sounds of the bark being seared off the tree echoing throughout the entire forest. Withdrawing his blaster Mykle anticipated its use once more. So much so, his index finger crept to the trigger. The smell of burnt wood entered his nostrils, followed by trees being pushed out of their roots. Mykle thought to himself the need of ammo, and the possibly of obtaining automatic weaponry was of more importance than to avoid combat, as it seemed that be impossible.

Rounding the area he didn't see a droid anywhere near the wreckage, heck it didn't even look like a typical Separatists freighter. "It can't be.." Denial crept into his psyche. "no." Unable to raise his voice beyond low pitched squeak, tears started to dribble down his cheek. This was Sadie and Quillius' ship. 

Hobbling inside, he saw Quillius lay in the pilots chair, not moving a finger. Blood trickled down his forehead, mouth hung agape, eyes remained open, gunshot wounds in his shoulder and torso. "Quill.." He tried to search for a pulse and found none. Originally wanting to drag his body out of the burning ship, Mykle went to the back to look for Sadie, going as far to giveaway his position by shouting her name. "Sadie!"

Bursting down the door to the engine room, Sadie laid unconscious on the floor, cuts on her arms and legs were deep, blood spilt on the steel floor. Wasting no time, Mykle dragged her out the ship just in time to see Quillius' corpse be fully engulfed by flames. 

He gently laid Sadie down on the green blades of grass, she much appreciated the cool breeze as her consciousness returned. "My bag...." She croaked, grabbing Mykle's brown long sleeve with a bloodied hand. "It's in the engine room, I have a first aid kit." She could barley finished before relapsing into unconsciousness.

Mykle hastily ran back into the burning transport, shielding his face from the blazing flames. Fighting the urge to faint from the heat, Mykle found the brown satchel bag lying on the floor, patting the small fire on the fabric away and bolting the ship.

Using the cold water, and slapping Sadie across the face a few times she awakened to find Mykle with the medical supplies. "I have no way to do this." He said lightheartedly, earning a smile from the grieved Twi'lek. 

"I got it."

\--------

From the moment of departure the feeling dread never left Skywalker's mind. Confused as the why he'd feel apprehension, the republic agreed to all of Padmé's terms. Sent 20,000 men, two young Jedi who can handle themselves and air support. What could be making him feel they were about to crash into an iceberg?

"Master?" Ahsoka noticed the stiff posture of her master. "I sense a tremor in the Force." She put bluntly, feeling the same way Anakin did.

"I don't know what you guys are talking about." Jayson brushed off their concerns as usual pre-battle jitters. "What they're doing there is an atrocity. You should be anxious." Jayson misread the whole situation. 

"'No. it's not that. Something else is on Lianos. But what?" Ahsoka looked to her master for the answer, but found he too was stumped. 

"So in short, you guys gotta bad feeling about this?" Jayson hated hearing those words. "No duh. We're entering a war zone." Anakin couldn't help but find the boy's talkative nature appealing. 

"You mouth off quite a bit to authority figures." Anakin said. Jayson chuckled, clutching to the poll tightly as the ship rattled entering Lianos' orbit. 

"Just trying to keep the ballplayers heads in the game, Master." He said with mock sincerity. "We're close to landing." His caucasian skin blended into the shadows, a look of fierce determination replaced his good hearted one. Unlike Skywalker, Jayson did not use his newly minted status as "Jedi Knight" to let his hair grow out. Quite the contrary. Jayson's dark blonde crewcut looked more military than Jedi. 

The red light flooded the ship, clones placed their hard helmets on, cocked their blasters and prepared for the wave of fire to barrage them. Unlike the Jedi, the soldiers expressed calm. A strong sense of confidence in their leaders, trust in the planning, and the knowledge of this wasn't their first rodeo. 

When the hatches came tumbling down - faster than the clones expected, the first line fell like trees cutdown by lumberjacks. Moving away from their fallen brothers, clones rushed to overwhelm the droid army, with help via air support to bomb them into smithereens, created large holes big enough to be used as trenches. With ground troops providing covering fire, air support watching above, the three Jedi lead a small band forward pushing the stationed droid forces back into the woods of MiCo. 

"They're already running?" Kiki, noted, holding his chest plate punctured from a super battle droid's fire. "We just started." He coughed violently. Rex suppressed the urge to throw up at the sight, deciding to look away. 

"What do you have in store for us, clankers?" He said with a cockiness that would have made Anakin look humble by comparison. 

They ran as if in retreat, Jayson lagged behind the two staying in unison with the clones, finally sharing in Anakin and Ahsoka's sense of dread. His voice failed to pickup, the courage to speak his mind betrayed him, as blaster fire from above took down five soldiers in under ten seconds. This stopped the Republic's advancement towards Brokeridge Park. Clones and Jedi took cover behind the trees, only for five more soldiers to be shot dead from right above. 

"Up there!" Ahsoka pointed to the four "feather steels" aiming squarely at her, thinking fast the Togruta ripped the branch from its tree, the feather steels crumbled on impact. "We gotta go up!" She didn't wait for her master to reply, and he didn't really care for he agreed. Anakin looked back to what was left of his forces. 

"Jayson, take the clones back to MiCo, secure the area, we'll contact you or Rex when the forest is clear for entry." Anakin made sure he was understandable in his orders, given the chaos that unfolded around them. He smelled burning wood too. 

Disgusted he'd have to retreat, Jayson did not comply. "We can help you!" He sounded like a child desperately trying to convince an adult to let him assist in a task he could not possible take part in. "They got this place surrounded!" 

"Go back!" Anakin roared, not in the mood for disobedience. A Jedi Knight isn't supposed to be this hard headed. Then again, Padmé would classify him as just that. So maybe he was barking up the wrong tree. Nonetheless, Jayson couldn't do any better than him and Ahsoka, and with Rex in MiCo, that made the young knight the de facto leader of the squadron. 

Bitter, but now willing to comply, Jayson bellowed out to his men, once standing at 150, now 75 left "Head back!" and they did just that. Fifty men shot down in less than five minutes. Not the way they wanted to begin this fight. Anakin shouldn't have let the beginning phases of the fight play out before giving orders. Rex should have followed them in the charge. Jayson couldn't stop correcting his superiors even in the moment.

The feather steels did quite well in keeping the Jedi off balance; Anakin had the wherewithal to stand pact, deflect shots and get the droids in place to be fired upon by ground troops. Padawan Tano, however, didn't get the memo. Ahsoka gave chase jumping from one thick branch to the next, with little regard for her wellbeing. It very much reminded Anakin when he was her age - course he wasn't fighting in the biggest galactic civil war the universe has ever seen.

Giving chase, Anakin exerted himself in trying to catch the speedy girl. 

Two feather steels landed like bowling balls once knocked off their platform, Ahsoka made this happen by sheer brute aggressiveness. Anakin tried to warn her of the risk she was taking, but by the time he reached out it was too late. A bolt from her blind side hit her left shoulder and knocked her off the branch and falling to the floor, who knows from how high up. The leaves were so thick, coupled with the lack of visibility of the night, Anakin couldn't see Ahsoka anywhere, and his heart rate began to quicken. 

Falling hard with an audible thud, grabbing her bruised - possibly dislocated, she couldn't tell, shoulder, Ahsoka called to her lightsaber and retook cover behind a tree stump. Forced to use her right hand - Jedi typically used their right for healing, left for attack, Tano knew she wasn't in tiptop shape to withstand the droid army. 

Clipping her lightsaber to her hip, Ahsoka decided to take a different route, pushing away the urgency, desperation that dominated her heart and mind. Taking what the old retired Jedi Terra Sinube said to heart about slowing down. Lifting a tree root from the ground, tripping the incoming droids, stifling the rolling destroyers, giving her just enough time to regroup with Anakin.

"They're too many of them!" A trooper yelped as the droids came ever so closer. "I'm out of ammo!" He added. Before someone could assist him, destroyers shot him dead in the split second he was defenseless. Anakin saw the massacre going down below, stopped his search for Ahsoka, deciding he needed to save what was left of his squadron first. It wasn't an easy decision, one he'd never forgive himself for if worst case scenario became reality. 

"Ariel!" He called down to the private. "Throw me one of your magnetic pulse grenades!" Anakin only meant that figuratively, once Ariel threw one up to the Jedi Knight, before ducking his head from sight once more. "Turn back, assist Rex and Flynn in holding down MiCo!" He followed up with. Cowardice was not permitted under any military uniform, but it didn't mean soldiers couldn't be grateful when their general told them to retreat away from the hectic action. Especially when them losing was apparent. 

Wasting little time time Skywalker tossed the electro magnetic pulse grenade hoping it be the elixir to a regretful turning of the tides. It went off in a brilliant blaze of fire, its force throwing the young, adventurous Jedi off his tree and hurdling fast to the hard dirt ground. Lucky to land in a bush that cushioned a still ever painful fall, Anakin saw what Ariel threw him was far from a simple EMP. "Idiot." He usually never insulted his soldiers before. This was a special case. 

"Ahsoka!" He called out to his padawan hopelessly, being treated to silence. Dreadful silence. 

Her pathway was blocked by burning wood, her only option was to push through the wall of steels and destroyers. Luckily for her, only five stood in her way, but they'd surely be more once she pushed further into Seppie territory. Her best sanctuary currently burned, now an inferno. "Master!" She yelled out, hoping she would hear her cries, only to be treated by the metallic clanking of droids ready to pounce. 

Taking a deep breath, Ahsoka stopped asking for the help she knew wouldn't come - at least not now. With her right hand she held on to her lightsaber, its green glow went across her thin frame, she slipped backwards, using her surroundings to prolong her survival. Running like the wind, a stab at her pride, but left with no other option. 

Out of the blue heavy artily found her. Though able to dodge the ion cannon, which hit a nearby tree, Ahsoka rolled out of its way as it descended to the ground. Realizing her lightsaber was no longer with her, she intended to search for her weapon only to be pushed back by advancing steels. She didn't like to leave behind the weapon Anakin described to her as "her life" but she had little choice.

 

After fixing their wounds to the best of her abilities, both Mykle and Sadie were barley able to walk they were in such terrible shape. The bleeding in Mykle's left leg stopped, not before his pant leg would be stained with his blood. Feeling woozy he relied heavily on the trees to keep him from falling. "Oak Town is a kilometer from here." Sadie announced. The sounds of gunfire, screams and smell of burnt wood and metal ceased to leave them alone even after getting so far from the action. The whole forest smelled of oil. Dirty, crude oil. 

"What's there anyway?" Mykle didn't have an alternative to where they were going, the blistering cold, made him desperate for shelter. 

"A hospital. Pub. A motel." Sadie listed the essentials. "Rumor has it: Oak Town is one of the few areas unaffected after the Separatists occupation." Sadie wasn't looking so hot either. Bandages tightly wrapped around her forehead, messed up right hand and gashed left leg. Lucky for her there was disinfectant in her satchel, and she was fortunate to find a big enough branch that could be used as a walking stick. 

"How is that even possible?" Mykle was skeptical, how could a small town like Oak Town not be subjected to the same punishment as MiCo. 

"Oak has a strong local militia, lead by former generals who fought in the Mando-Lian war, and a well stocked arms racks." Sadie enjoyed her visits there. Such a resilient bunch that pushed against tyrannical rule no matter what the cost. "They're an independent province from Lianos," She informed him. "gained their independence after the failed Seppie invasion two years ago." Mykle obviously didn't know of this.

"We heal up, grab our arms and fight." Sadie proclaimed, believing Mykle surely had come around by now. Quite the contrary. 

"Whoa, whoa!" He stopped her, then advanced passed. "'Our'?" He didn't like being shoehorned into Sadie's rebellion at every turn. "I have no interest in sticking my neck out for this dump!" He assured her once more. "What has this place done for me lately?" 

"In case you've forgotten, you're one of the idiots that live here." She reminded. He rolled his eyes.

"Not for long. I'll get out of here, buy myself a ticket and never look back." Another one of those empty declarations Mykle's made plenty in the past.

"What if the Separatists follow you there?" She asked. "An escape convict would definitely be on Klingston's radar." 

Mykle agreed with the assessment, Klingston seemed interested in him during her interrogation. 

"I'll stay on the move." Out of answers, there was a certain amount of petulance in his voice. "I shouldn't get too comfortable in one place anyway." 

Sadie wouldn't give up, Mykle was scared, she knew it. "You left home only because your family didn't want you to have anything to do with the Clone War!" She barked. "And now you're cowering at every chance to realize your dream." 

"My dream wasn't to be another statistic in the war. It was...the be a Jedi." He became shy, slipped hands into his pockets and slouched. Sadie's face began to soften, Mykle's petulance waned and was replaced by vulnerability. "I've been a Force sensitive since...well, always. The guardians of truth, justice, freedom all across the galaxy. Heroes." As he spoke, the two kept gingerly walking to Oak Town. 

"You're scared to fight." Sadie said again, this time more sincere. "You don't know if you could do it."

"I wasn't chosen, they flew right over me to live a life of a peasant." 

"Doesn't mean you still can't make it." Sadie truly believed in her words, even if Mykle didn't. "Skywalker was nine when the Jedi admitted him into the Order." 

"He had a prophecy written thousands of years ago by whomever to convince the council, Qui-Gon Jinn to vouch for him, and trainer Obi-Wan Kenobi. Don't believe I'll draw the same cards." 

"Who says you need to know the right people?" Sadie said with a confident smirk. 

"It's not like they hold tryouts." Mykle bluntly put it.

"The Republic is already here, they're attacking the Seppies right now!" And with Republic forces meant they were lead by a Jedi. It dawned on the boy his dream wasn't so far off. The feeling of eagerness quickly was replaced by the return of fear.

"I just can't." Mykle wished he were able to find the courage buried deep inside him. Sadie shared the same sentiments.

"I'm fighting for my home, you best make your decision before it's too late." And with that vague comment Sadie retook the lead in the travel towards Oak Town. They were getting awfully close to the province, she knew those high up in the hierarchy that would admit them. 

The one point they both refused to make centered around their recently deceased friend. Two different points of view on Quillius held by each respective party. A fellow freedom fighter like Sadie Shō, or a paid mercenary. It didn't matter, he was gone, left only for his ashes to scatter off into the wind. 

The hustle and bustle Mykle grown accustomed to seeing in MiCo happened in Oak Town as well. Although may have been more ration gathering for the Seppie insurgence. Multi-race militia men and women made sure the city did not burn itself to the grown. No was held up any convenient stores or trampled over one another. The Fair Liberty Militia even lead those fortunate enough to drive to Oak Town back to their vehicles, and protecting them from being vandalized or stolen.

"Certainly a town with its head on straight." Mykle never visited Oak Town prior to today. Fair Liberty did not wear armor, helmets, only a colored shoulder guard signifying their rank. Armed with only pistols (those with automatics were the ones fortunate to either own them prior or know someone who did), their stern faces did not infringe on the on any good man looking just to prepare to protect his family. Unlike the terrorist group headquartered on their sibling planet Mandalore Death Watch, Fair Liberty was a more controlled, respected organization in Lianos' old government. 

"Hold it right there!" A woman, black eyes bald grey skinned Xexto halted the two from getting any further. "Names, occupation and reason for visit." She spoke clearly. 

"Sadie Shō, I am here for medical attention." The Xexto took a long hard look at Mykle, her cold stare coupled with a desire to inch her boney fingers closer to her holstered blaster made the boy take two cautionary steps back. 

"And the Human?" She referred to him as, bit as a derogatory term. 

"He's with me." All Sadie replied with in regards to Mykle. "I know Feevious Viv." She didn't seem convinced. Her claw-like feet started to walk closer to Sadie, appearing to begin apprehending her. Hastily, Sadie attempted to save this. "Liverec, Mon, Felich." 

The Xextos eyes widened, her movement stopped almost as if frozen in time. Without saying a word, she lead Mykle and Sadie to Viv, never once did she speak to them again. 

"What did you say to her?" Mykle asked, astonished. He knew what Sadie spoke was Old Coreillan, the dead language, but couldn't make out a lick of it. 

"It's the moniker for Fair Liberty, 'Freedom, Money and Happiness.'" Sadie enjoyed being around them. Sure they were made up of mostly bumpkins, but these bumpkins knew how to shoot and keep the order. 

"Why is that their moniker?" Mykle asked.

"It's all of what they wish to pursue, driven by passion to rally against what they preserve to be a machine designed to crush all of what they lust for." Sadie remembered sitting in for a few of Feevious' speeches. Uninspiring to say the least, maybe just for her. They usually ended with those in attendance giving standing ovations that lasted for a half hour. 

"Personally their beliefs are only theirs, inside with them cause of common enemies and they never go back on deals." She explained.

"So you and Feevious have a good history?" Mykle wondered, beginning to let the tension in his voice wan. 

"For the most part." She said nonchalantly, with a nod. Briggs' tenseness returned, his voice barley raised above a whisper, back became stiff as a board once more.  
"Couldn't have just said, 'we're good friends, Mykle, no need to worry.'" He narrowed his eyes at her scornfully.

"I'm not a liar." Sadie shrugged.

The door opened showing a Bothan dressed in golden colored vest, black trimming and the brown facial hair of a Wookie. "Sadie!" He called out to her like he just ran into an old chum from high school. From behind his desk going over paperwork Feevious looked more like a CEO of a multinational conglomerate than the head of a militia made up of farmers and smugglers. "How you doing your freakin' pirate?!" He asked, rising up out of his chair to give the Twi'lek a hardy slap on the back. She almost coughed up a lung. Remorseful for not seeing her poor condition, Feevious ordered for medics to tend to her immediately.

"I see the Separatists have already nicked you." He humorously underrated the dirtied wounds Sadie suffered. 

"Give my friend Mykle attention too." She pointed to him before he could faint from exhaustion. 

 

Meanwhile in the Alphere forest, Ahsoka suffering from her own wounds cautiously ventured through the thick bushes and trees, her montrals subjected to some pricks and scratches from the branches. Being connected to her brain being outside was never to be taken lightly by a Togruta due to their blatant weak spot. 

Beginning to feel woozy, Ahsoka slouched on a nearby stump, unable to continue. It was getting late. Perhaps it be best to rest, wait till daybreak, she couldn't even see where to go in this darkness. The only light she seen was from steels passing by on their patrols.

Resting quite somberly, Ahsoka figured she'd get a goodnights sleep despite the frigid weather. Her montrals tingled, cocking of blasters filled her sensors, blue eyes popped open. "Trespasser!" A Xexto barked roughly. "Looks like we've caught ourselves a Jedi." She eyed him, not afraid, more annoyed. Surrendering, figuring it couldn't be worse than spending the night in the blistering woods.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka Tano and Mykle Briggs share a jail cell and their views on the war, Jedi, and Lianos.

MiCo became stabilized and under Republic control overnight. Droids fell back into the forest, Anakin had gotten used to fighting till the last tin can was slaughtered, he stopped himself from chasing them down. Much of the town was luckily salvaged, though deserted MiCo still held resources and quality quarters were able to be established for the soldiers. Add to that the very few casualties, the first stage of the Lianos campaign has been pretty successful, minus the short time spent in the forest. 

Surrounded by agricultural land and burnt forest, Anakin wanted to find his padawan, ignorant to her location he thought he'd lead a search party. But what of MiCo? The Seppies would surely be back and the troops needed their general. It was a mistake to leave even for those short moments. 

"We've searched the forest for hours, general, no sign of commander Tano." Rex returned from his failed search, much to the soldiers relief they did not have to deal with the savagery of gorilla warfare again. "We did find this." He handed Skywalker Ahsoka's trusted lightsaber. It is mostly frowned upon for Jedis to form any attachment, but a lump formed in Anakin's throat, allowing himself to imagine the worse case scenario. He'd never forgive himself. He was trusted to protect her and failed.

Staring at the lightsaber with cold stare that hid the whirlwind of emotional turmoil he currently was going through, mustering up a calm, nonchalant voice. "I'd like to be alone now, Rex." Leaving the general's quarters, shaking his bald head. 

"How is he?" Hyde asked his superior. 

"As you'd expect. We lose one or two members of our party all the time, eventually commander Tano will turn up." He didn't believe his words, he never did. 

"You sound bored." Hyde didn't understand how anybody could be so laid back in these situations. 

"I'll admit things are a little different from prior engagements, what with the inclusion of gorilla war tactics, new droid models and we're working against the clock until unwilling citizens are forced to fight us in a battle they'll surely loss. But the general and i have survived worse." 

Anakin tossed and turned in his cot throughout the night. Guilt ridden. Sick to his stomach. Mind only focused on his failures, nary a thought intended for the city of MiCo. Knowing this would lead him down only the path of destruction, and that the stakes were far too high, Anakin resisted the urge to board a transport and search the forest himself. Coming to the conclusion no matter what course of action he chose, he'd surely regret. 

 

Thrown harshly in a cold drab cell Ahsoka fell into a muddy pile of water in the center of the small quarters. Her naked bruised shoulder only worsened in pain at the impact. "I should have paid more attention during Master Yoda's healing classes." Ahsoka looked around the room finding three steels casually patrolling the small room where the prisoners were kept. Oddly enough she was the only organic in there. 

"Hey, where am I?" Ahsoka called out to one Twi'lek going through security footage. It didn't reply. All he gave her was a cold stare with his red eyes. "Or just stand there." 

She wasn't to be alone for long. Very soon Mykle joined her in the cell, his wounds had been addressed, still walking with a noticeable limp, but no longer worried if he had suffered an infection. "I'm a friend of Sadie Shō!" He said three times at a louder volume. "Don't you understand?!" 

"Simple precautionary measure, you'll be out tomorrow when we get your papers." The Xexto said coldly, walking away before Mykle could ask another question. 

"But I don't have papers!" He bellowed. Like Ahsoka, his garb also suffered from tears and mud stains. He had an odor to him too, that made him nearly unapproachable. He eyed the Togruta standing quietly in the corner, disinterested in his plight, Mykle had little interest in striking up conversation also and they stood in silence. 

"Hey!" He called out to one of the guards. "Ask Feevious, who is friends with my friend Myra Shō, if he can get me out?!" Discouraged by the guards intentionally ignoring him, Mykle finally gave up trying. 

"It's no use, best get your rest." Ahsoka turned over to her right side in the cell's lone cot. Mykle looked around, hard to see anything given the darkness. 

"Where am I supposed to sleep?" His irritation grew, fully expecting the Togruta to brush his question to the side. 

"Not my problem." Ahsoka wasn't in the mood to be kind to a stranger. Anybody who looks like that when thrown in a cell has to be the scum of the universe.

"Yeah, goodnight to ya too." Mykle wrapped his arms around his chest, curled up in the corner and tried to doze off. Hard to do with the harsh breeze coming in from the window. He looked at his sleeping cell mate and thought at least he didn't have his back on a cold hard steel cot.

"So what are you in for?" He asked. Figuring he might as well make some conversation while he was stuck. "Runnin' a pyramid scheme?" 

She rolled her eyes, annoyance grew. "Yes." Was all she answered with, then returned focus on sleep. 

"Guess we'll get to know each other tomorrow." He said in mock excitement.

The next day the two were awakened by a Xexto clanking her blaster against the wooden desk. Ahsoka couldn't understand why Lianos was so drawn to the old world. The cell's barrier vanished, the Xexto was quick to apprehend Mykle before he could escape, gesturing towards Ahsoka a bit of gratitude for not having to retrain her. 

"Let go of me!" He was sleepy still but, then paralyzed with anger. The Xexto did not and proceeded cuff his arms and legs to the metal wall via magnetic handcuffs. 

"You aren't going anyway, Mykle Briggs, you and your friends have a history of stealing from us." Her face drooled saliva the more intense she got. Mykle quivered, never feeling so uncomfortable before. "You and Jakob have not been allies." 

"I've only done one job for him, and it had nothing to do with you." Mykle'a brown eyes slipped towards the still resting Togruta. Ahsoka heard the words exchanged, she didn't all too care for it. He continued to stare at her as if asking "aren't you gonna help?"

"Liar!" She spit on his cheek, grabbing his collar harshly. "Four weeks ago our cameras caught three men around your age ransacking our weapons garage."

"Well that wasn't me." Mykle denied more claims, some were lies, others were truths or mere stretches of them. He didn't understand what made this town so great. Their justice system hinged on the hostile interrogation of a teenager. The people in charge couldn't be that wise. Eventually the Xexto left the cell, switching back on the orange barrier. Mykle rubbed his reddened neck, his voice now scratchy, some bruises formed on his right and left arm. 

 

Sadie was given good medical attention and a bed to sleep on for the night, however unable to after Feevious threw her friend in the cell. "How could you throw an innocent boy in solitary confinement?"

Feevious sneered as if an offense has been made against his intelligence. "Come on, Sadie, you know that kid is nothing but bad news." He went on. "He's stolen from me and my friends. Keeping him in solitary confinement isn't the worse thing to happen to him. Might be the best." 

Sadie for a very short moment believed that to be true. Having made no powerful friends, Mykle was a sitting duck no matter where he ran. He stole from people you really shouldn't. Prices had to be put on his head, Feevious took out his datapad to show just how much the boy was to be worth. 500 credits alive. 150 dead. Quite the drop off in value she noted.

"Mykle can take care of himself." Sadie stammered a little, unsure of what she just said.

"I don't care." Feevious put bluntly. "He has to answer to what he's done."

"To who? Does the Fair Liberty Militia have honest court systems?" She harshly asserted there was no government here. 

"Besides the point!" He was defiant. "We've been walked all over by the Seppies for too long. When we want to expand they toss us aside like rag dolls, robbing us blind on a nightly basis!" Feevious was in no mood to debate this with Sadie, unwavering in his lust to send a clear message to the enemy's leadership. 

"That's what this is about? Getting out of the shadows of the Seppies and Mandalore? How thick headed are you?!" She couldn't believe this was Feevious she was talking to. "You will let my friend go this instant." 

He stood towering over her, little emotion now on his mug. "I'm afraid that is not a possibility." He said, talking more like a politician withholding health care from his citizens. 

"Are you?" She questioned. "You seem pretty okay with letting the innocent rot." 

"Believe me, in that cell, there isn't any innocent."

"And how are you better than your enemies by exhibiting the same disregard for justice?" Sadie walked away before Feevious could answer, she didn't know where to go, but she didn't care. Anything to getaway from here. 

"I guess you're right." 

Sadie felt like she was hit over the head by a frying pan. "What?" She wasn't sure if her mind was playing tricks on her. 

"I will let Mykle out in the coming hour, providing one thing." He held up his hairy index finger. "He will swear allegiance to the militia and only to the militia." 

"Done." Sadie jumped at the chance. "Was this planned?" She asked him.

"Unimportant." Well there was her answer. "Have him swear allegiance and he is free."

 

Back in the cell Mykle's throat, still sore from the choking, felt as if it were still in a bind. "By the way," he started to eye Ahsoka. "thanks for the help back there." He of course meant halfheartedly. "Really nice of you."

"Oh, I'm sorry that i didn't brush up on the cellmates code." Ahsoka retorted. "Please forgive my negligence, stranger." Still in sleeping position, her back turned.

"Come on, what you saw was a clear hostile interrogation." Mykle didn't know what he wanted out of this exchange. Frustration had gotten the best of him. "A Jedi like you has to stand for injustice!" 

The Togruta turned around, rising to sitting position, raising her left white facial marking above her eye. "How did you know?" She asked.

"Your braid on your lekku." He answered simply, pointing to the top of his head. "A standard for padawans in the Jedi Order since the Old Republic days, first one to wear it was Shigar Konshi."

"Way to go with the useless knowledge bomb." Mykle clenched his fist at her condescension.

"Yeah, it's only the history of your religion. Pff, who cares about that, certainly not a Jedi." He returned her condescending tone.

"If you're a Jedi, why are you here, couldn't you have escaped capture?" Mykle asked quite curious.

"I needed a place to stay and figured the trade off was worth it." She said.

"Well, you didn't know they weren't gonna torture or even kill you." He added. She scoffed quite harshly. 

"The Fair Liberty Militia knows the Republic would jump down their throats if they executed a Jedi." 

"You guys here to bring in Kerry Klingston?" Ahsoka turned over in her steel bed.

"Yes, how did you know?"

"I met her just now, not a nice woman." He commented. "She wanted me by her side."

"As a custodian?" She remarked.

"Ha ha," he gave her a sarcastic clap. "you should open up a comedy club you're so funny." Mykle thought, if he's here with a Jedi, that means there has to be more of them on the planet, or certainly on the way to rescue one of their own.

"But they don't know-" Ahsoka cut Mykle off. "They'll soon know."

Mykle shrugged, her reasoning checked out, not really interested to begin with. "Can you get us out of here?"

"On it." She got up out of her bed, walking calmly to the blocked exit. "Hey!" She called to the Xexto, who had just returned from patrol. "I gotta question to ask you."

The creature ignored her, uninterested in the prisoner's plight. "Cram it, Jedi. Ain't worth much to me when you talk." 

Mykle looked at Ahsoka, shrugging again. "Guess she has an eye for these sorta things."   
"If you know she's a Jedi why don't you let her out?" He asked.

"Jedi?" She eyed him suspiciously. "Not A Jedi, no. I'm talking about people like you: Force users who steal, use their gift for themselves!" She explained the double meaning of the term on her planet.

"So it's a sarcastic term?" He didn't really need to ask.

"Well, I'm a Jedi and need to get out now!" She went on. "My Master is Anakin Sky-" the Xexto slammed her blaster against the table in rage. 

"Listen kid, I've had a rough day, so why don't you shut your yap before I make you." 

"Hey, buddy, the lady wants a word with you!" Mykle pestered her. "Get off your fat butt and roll on up here." He pushed her buttons in the most immature way he could imagine. How he hated to talk like this. So childish. The ends justified the means though, the Xexto narrowed her big black eyes and withdrew a pistol before going to open the lock. Not knowing whether she intended to kill or pistol-whip him, not willing to find out, once the door opened he jumped her, punching the gut in search of a bone to crack. 

"Little help!" He asked through gritted teeth and labored breath. Ahsoka found it humorous to watch a boy her size - or barley taller, take on someone twice his height. With little effort the Togruta slammed the Xexto's body against the steel walls, then delivered a roundhouse kick to her wobbling body. She fell with a loud thud, wasting no time the two exited their cell and trapped the guard inside. Resting his hands on his knees, Mykle padded the Togruta on the back of her orange body, chuckling a little, out of breath.

"Thanks...er...uh...-" He lead her on to introduce herself, which she did. 

"Ahsoka Tano." Pleased to finally get her name, Mykle extended his hand. 

"Mykle Briggs." He said like he was a neighbor who just moved next door to her. 

"I know, learned it when she was choking you." She pointed out before walking away. 

"Where are you going?" He asked. 

"Can't say." She departed before there could be a follow up. Mykle never met a Jedi before and she was nothing like he read in the many stories he's read over his development years. From what he gathered in their short interaction she was, to put bluntly, a jerk. Shrugging his shoulders, he exited the premises, not before snagging his pistol, and the Xexto's wallet.

"Let's get out of here." He whispered to himself. When walking outside he seen the densely populated area of Oak Town, either he'd be able to utilize the outrageously sized walking traffic or be caught quicker considering the number of hidden policemen, security camera, hiding would be impossible. 

Carefully making his way through the crowd of people, hoping he remembered to turn on his gun's safety, Mykle made his way to a local restaurant, slapped sixty credits on the table and got himself haarshun bread and roast shatual. Expensive, but it wasn't his money. Scoffing it all down as if it were a small portion meal, letting out a satisfied burp, Mykle went back to his escape attempt. 

"Hold it right there!" Sipping his head around, expecting to see the Xexto guard, Mykle fumbled to take out his pistol, his greasy hand slipping off the handle. He was as good as dead. "Mykle!" The voice shouted again. Less hostile, more caring. Her features become clearer. No slimy saliva hanging from her mouth, eyes that looked like 8 balls. Green skin and lekkus that reached her breast. It was indeed a friend, not foe.

"Sadie!" He exclaimed joyously, hugging her tight. "Can't believe you got out too." Mykle almost forgot about her. "No time for you to explain how, let's get out of here." He tugged on her hand only to have Sadie firmly planted, Feevious slowly approached from behind.

"I'm afraid that is not an option, my dear boy." Feevious sneered. "There is something we need from you."

"I'd like to see you try." 

Sadie stopped Mykle from going for his pistol, urging peaceful cooperation. "Wait! Mykle, he has a deal for us." Sadie spoke softly after a loud pronunciation of the word 'wait'. 

"A deal?" Mykle thought this to be ridiculous. "You certainly know how to woo a potential partner." He mocked. "Whatever you're offering I ain't interested." 

"Fine, go, take your chances with my forces, see if I care." Feevious dared. "It be a good lesson for my troops." Taking that as a challenge, Mykle was about to take his cue only again be held back. 

"Why don't you just leave him to me?" Sadie asked of Feevious. He nodded and walked into the prison where he was to see the guard Mykle just assisted in knocking out cold.

"He's not gonna like what he finds in there." Mykle explained, confused, but utterly uninterested Sadie moved on. 

"Feevious said he'd drop all charges against if you assist him in fighting the Separatists." Rolling his eyes, kinda laughing at the offer, Mykle began to walk away.

"Like I'd work for some crooked government." Mykle claimed it be so just by being held in a prison without the power of attorney. Sadie could not say he was far off. 

"It's better than the only alternative." She explained her rationalization. "Look at all these happy people going about their day," she gestured to the innocent souls living as if not on a war torn planet. "nowhere else on Lianos will they get this luxury." 

"It's gilded." Mykle assured her. "They're deluded." Having enough of his stubbornness, the Twi'lek slammed the teens back to the nearest wall, using her arms as barriers so he could not escape her. 

"Nothing's ever perfect in this universe." She told him. "There's corruption everywhere you go, no matter the city or government. But you being selfish and only caring about yourself won't fix anything." To her surprise the boy started to feel shame for himself. Shame in indifference being his default mode when challenged on his beliefs. A tendency to lookout for himself and stick his neck out of others when it was most convenient.

"You're right." He repeated again so she'd hear him. "You're right." He stopped resisting and decided on what was best. "I'll help you out, them out." 

Sadie smiled, her usually demeanor returned. "Thank you." 

"Let's get you ready." She told him to follow her. 

"Ready for what?" 

"War." 

"They're coming back?" Mykle asked. "I thought Oak Town was Militia country." 

"Well they want it, they want its resources, men and all of Lianos." 

"They won't get it. I'm not letting anymore of my friends get hurt, I've already loss two." He didn't dwell on the passing of Nyko and Quillius before now. It finally hit him that the war cost him two friends, worse that Nyko wasn't even a combatant. Just a kid who had the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"You can't save everybody, neither can i, but together we can protect this land, Lianos for future generations." Those words stirred him up, the pit in is stomach vanished, replaced by sheer determination. More important, he was going to keep Sadie Shō alive.

 

With no weapon, not even at full strength, Ahsoka couldn't sprint out of Oak Town at her natural speed. Making a name for herself in the order as a youngling for athleticism and endurance, she did not know how to survive without the ability to utilize either.

Able to make her way back to the Alphere forest, taken aback at how open it was compared to her last visit. Trees were burnt, along with the grass, bodies of clones and droids laid across the land, a sight the shook the Togruta's empty stomach. 

"Ahsoka!" Anakin ran up to her faster than he'd run from a hail of gunfire. "I'm so glad you're alright." He inspected her body for wounds like a father, making the teen feel like a helpless child. "We gotta get you a medic."


	7. Chapter 7

Klingston observed the new recruits from afar, the trusted hand to teach them, a cold battle droid that couldn't comprehend organic limitation. "Many of you will use the DC-15S, not an automatic weapon, it is more accurate, less prone to overheating than its cousin, the DC-15A blaster rifle." The command droid said as if reading from an instructions manual, it's voice vibrated throughout the room. "Possessing no power setting, only a nonlethal stunner, its gas cartridges can fire up to 500 shots." The humanoid machine walked up and down not as much batting an eye towards the recruits, it went on and on describing their roles. This was the batch of willing recruits. Klingston didn't know what to do for the unwilling. 

"What are your for the reluctant soldiers?" An aide asked her, his hands intertwined together in front of his body. "Popularity of forced conscription is very low." 

"They'll come around. Once we have a victory to dangle in front of them like a toy for a kitten." Klingston asserted. "Everyone is afraid to serve in the military, especially for a cause they see as unjust. That too will change." All her focus became dedicated to a hologram of what was soon to be a battlefield, red dots advancing, outnumbering the blue and eventually extinguishing them. 

"May I ask what is that, my lord?" The helmeted aide inquired, curiosity peaking. 

"Recently the Jedi have taken MiCo, enjoying success against standard tactical battle droids and even the much garnered steels, but suffered the most casualties at the hands of the destroyers and feather steels." Klingston explained. "If I could trim the fat, have an army made up of just those two types of battle droids and organics we will be unstoppable."

"Why even have organics at all?" The aide sounded skeptical. "Just a ton of mouths to feed and clothe." 

"You cannot win a war of secession merely by killing more of your enemy. It is the responsibility of the confederacy to win over the hearts and minds of all star systems, even if our leader does not see it that way." Klingston restarted the holographic map to its original set, simulating a battle between 300 Republic clone troopers, three Jedi versus 200 destroyers, 100 feather steels and 800 organics. "It seems this will be more difficult than I imagined." Klingston glumly noted.

"Why's that?" 

"We have the most powerful disposable army in all of the galaxy and can not fully utilize them because we need to make powerful people believe there is a heart to this cause. Not just a movement run by power hungry Siths and corrupt bureaucrats." She let out a sigh. "We lose with these numbers." Shaking her head and restarted the simulator. 

"War is not won on a computer." The aide said in a rare occurrence in where he spoke his mind. 

"Yes." Klingston agreed. "But it can be a good planning tool."

 

In the MiCo Republic camp Captain Rex went over his own battlefield plans with commander Flynn, the statistics of the wounded and dead made the two rethink their plans for an assault on one of Brokeridge or Hako. "I say we heal up, ready ourselves for an advancement before the first of Melona." Jayson pushed for he date to be prior to the seventh month of the calendar year. 

"A week is not enough, commander, reinforcements are needed. My men are in no condition to fight on, nor will be for some time." Rex pushed back against the aggressive Jedi. Jayson wasn't a military mind like Anakin, he lacked the cunning skill to work around such weaknesses.

"We have them on the ropes let's knock him out the ring!" He pressured the captain to give him the green light. "Two hundred troops, I'll give you Hako, we'll recruit those in the town after." 

"How can you be so sure they'll wanna join us? If we assume that's what they'll do, we're no better than the Seppies in their eyes." 

"Don't worry, it won't go down like that." Somehow Rex didn't seem convinced.

"We don't have time to play around with the lives of soldiers." Rex said. It took some restraint on Jayson's part not to brush off the complaint of treating clones as the expendable soldiers they are.

"And we don't have time to let opportunities go to waste." He retorted. 

"This isn't an opportunity, it's a glorified suicide mission!" The two looked ready to come to blows, tension filled the air, it wasn't until general Skywalker entered the tent is when they went on their best behavior. "General." Rex stood at attention, while Jayson kept his arms crossed. 

"Convince Rex to give me troops to attack Hako." He skipped right to the point.

"Convince?" The Jedi Knight did not understand. "Our responsibility right now is to hold down MiCo, and wait for the reinforcements I called for." Anakin told him, he was quite cold in his tone.

"You called reinforcements, sir?" Rex inquired, very surprised. Jayson hated when clones would continuously call their superior officer "sir" over and over again. Felt like he was trying to get a promotion.

"It's what is best, we loss too many men in the Alphere forest and are in desperate need of supplies. Let's hope the Separatists don't know that." Anakin held his breath, stomach clenched at the idea of this whole operation going belly up in an instant. "Commander Tano is in receiving medical attention," Anakin added. "Rex, make sure she doesn't leave her bed." He meant what he said, couldn't help but chuckle at the ridiculousness of his padawan's toughness. 

"I'm gonna go check up on her." Jayson announced out of the blue. Wanting to get away from Rex for just a moment, not able to withstand one more squabble over military matters. It's not like anything was happening, people suffered every moment they deliberate. "Measure twice, cut never." He'd call it.

When he left, the captain set his helmet back on his mug, it hid the expressions of concern for what he was about to ask. "How is she, sir?" The black visor covered his worried eyes. 

"She's fine, bandaged up, suffered some scratches but nothing that will keep her out for long. A little bed rest to let her body heal will do the trick." Anakin assured Rex. "Which reminds me, keep her lightsaber out of her hands until I say so." 

"You're too protective of her, if I may point out." He crafted his words carefully. Rex knew Anakin would never demote him for speaking his mind, but the tough as nails soldiers didn't have it in their programming to take the inch. 

"When you have students in their teens, then you'll know why." Anakin pointed out. Then Rex pondered if he truly was the age the Republic says he is. He is nothing more than a clone of a mid thirties bounty hunter, been in service for almost two years. Is he still i infant or an adult. He couldn't decide. 

"I've trained countless brothers who'd die on their first day." His eyes became unfocused inside his helmet. "They say you're all adults, but in reality we're not anything of worth." Anakin didn't know what to say to this candid speak. Though he could not see it, though able to feel it, Anakin knew the fragile state war has put the clone solider in.

"I'm sorry." He put his warm hand on Rex's dirtied left shoulder armor. "We don't take that into account enough." 

"Nearly." Rex thought to himself.

Jayson opened the tent to find the resting Togruta moving her body unable to stand still in her bed. "Quite fidgety, eh Snips?"

"You're one to talk, Flynn!" She couldn't stop and just lay down. Impatience was getting the best of her. "The bed's itchy." She explained, Jayson nodded. 

"Not much I can do about that." He took some pleasure at her discomfort. "How are you?" 

"Fine. Want to get out of here." Rolling his eyes, Jayson wished he could tie her to the bed so she'd stay still.

"I can see that." 

"I've been to MiCo," Ahsoka told him, she didn't tell Anakin yet. 

"You did?" Jayson sounded surprised Ahsoka made it that far. "You had to cross wide swaths of Separatist territory to get that far." 

"Well it's easy when you're captured and taken to a prison complex." She explained. "It's heavily militarized, boarding on a police state." The boy raised an eyebrow, curious as to what this meant. 

"Yeah?" He signaled for her to continue. 

"People don't have any rights, the militia men stick up small business for a credit." 

"No one can live." Jayson said, his eyes losing focus, going down to the floor. "Well, no matter, we need their support." He informed her, his voice appeared to as if be devoid of compassion. 

"Wait, you still want them?" Ahsoka was taken aback. Jayson nodded.

"Yes. They have a good army, we need reinforcements." Giving her a modest shrug. "Listen, we can't fight a two front war here, it'll result in our defeat." 

"But we'd be selling our morals down the river." Ahsoka did not like this one bit. "We're supposed to be better than that."

"We should, but aren't." Jayson's mood turned somber, how he wished that were true just once. "You can't trust anybody with a military. Anybody." He emphasized.

"It doesn't have to be like this." Ahsoka seemed to be searching for some glimmer of hope that the crooked militia wouldn't have to be their ally. 

"It does." He shook his head. 

"No it doesn't!" Ahsoka repeats more forcefully. "Where does it say we have too?" 

"The crooked have more than the good. Their influence looms large." Jayson explained as if speaking to a second grader.   
"War is a bunch of alliances where one lesser evil force fights the more evil one." 

"Are you saying the Republic is evil?" Ahsoka pestered Jayson to be more specific. 

"No, of course not." Jayson walked back his comments. He truly did not think the Republic were wrong for wanting to keep the universe under their influences. The alternative was to let anarchy reign, subsume the galaxy until its entirety ceased to exist in its current form." 

At a loss for words, unable to dig up language to make his positions sound not all that crazy, Jayson and Ahsoka sat together in a brief moment of awkward silence. "I'm heading out, Rex is planning an assault on either Hako or Brokeridge, we're butting heads." He says with the littlest smirk, hoping Ahsoka would do the same.

"Make sure you're on the lesser evil side." Ahsoka shot at him. Slinking out of her tent, Jayson wondered if that conversation could have gone any worse than it had just did. 

Running into Rex outside, a mildly distraught Jayson didn't see him. "Sorry." He brushed the dust off his grey tunic. "You alright....er," He searched for the code on the helmeted Clone to identity him. "CT-7567...REX!" He exclaimed. "Rex," He repeated. "sorry about that."

"It's alright." He stuttered, not knowing what brought on such hesitation from the boy. "How's the commander?" He already asked Anakin that, but he wanted to get a second opinion.

"Fine. Talking back to authority like she usually does." He slapped his shoulder and walked away. Rex contemplated visiting Ahsoka, but decided against it. Seeing as another visitor would probably make her more eager to ditch her bedrest. Seeing Rex all decked out in military gear, she'd have to be physically restrained not to rejoin the front lines. 

Anakin read up on the strongholds the Separatist had in Hako and Brokeridge, reading up on resources and the target most ripe for an attack. Jayson convened with him, this time more silent and willing to listen intently rather than throw ideas out. Something about Skywalker made Flynn become an actual student of the Force, and of the battlefield. 

 

"This friend of yours is a real paranoid fella." Mykle whispered to Sadie. An underground bunker still under construction had the warmth of the ice planet of Hoth, Mykle shivered, rubbing his hands up and down his arms, witnessing each breath he took. "How does living in a freezer help the militia?" 

"Feevious says it builds immunity to rough conditions." Sadie answered. 

"What if it's a heatwave?" Lianos' weather pattern shifted dramatically almost daily. "And it could snow on one side of the planet, and be ungodly hot on the other." He failed to see the logic behind what Feevious would call "forward thinking".

"And this is the guy I'm taking orders from?" He almost broke out in laugher saying that. 

"Hush!" Sadie shushed, signaling with her hand for Mykle to not say anymore for fear of being heard. Though small the bunker held up to twenty people, walking up and down in grey fog colored polyester/cotton tunics and pants, some carrying black helmets only with splattered pin tar to decorate it under their shoulders or on their heads. The officers wore their tunics proudly, walking past the two freelancers with the utmost pride in oneself, spine straight as an arrow. Lower ranking officers - soldiers - somehow achieved to find a color more drab than grey, some covered in mud, others in their own or others blood. The sight wasn't pretty. Mykle looked away. 

"What's going on here?" He kept his head down, walking alongside Sadie. 

"War meeting." Was all she said. 

"War meeting?" Mykle didn't understand. "They're expecting an attack?" 

"We are on the attack." Sadie shook her head correcting Mykle. "That's why we're here, sharpshooter." She added a wink to the end of her sentence.

Mykle didn't know whether she really meant that or not. Personally he didn't care. All he knew was he's been dragged into a war where he learnt everything on the fly. Perhaps this is the life of the solider.

"Sharpshooter? Am I a sniper on this mission?" He inquired. 

"Probably not. You're far too young for that." Sadie explained.

"But not young enough to be on the front lines." He replied coldly.

"Old enough to live on the streets by oneself." She retorted.

"Only to certain eyes." They entered a small conference room, the table hoisted up high above all others, a staircase designed for only the officer leading the battle. 

"How's Feevious military history?" Mykle whispered to a now sitting Sadie. 

"Military history? The man's a politician through and through, he leaves his brothers to do the grunt work." She said.

"There's more?" He seemed shocked because he was. "There's family in the militia?" 

"From top to bottom." Sadie said quite indifferent. Before Mykle could ask another question, the leader walked in. The entire hall went stone cold silent, rising up from their chairs to attention for their superior officer. Out of the shadows emerged a grey haired, smooth furred Bothan who failed to distinguish himself from his brother. 

"Welcome!" He even spoke like him. "This is sure to be an important meeting. Today is a big day for our movement, when we emerge out of the shadows and into the universal sphere of influence." 

"Some general," Mykle thought. "Speaks more like a politician."

"As of now the Separatists are locked into combat against the recently belligerent Galactic Republic on Lianos, stationed in MiCo. Recon has picked up intel that Klingston has 'zeroed in' on retaking the area. We plan on meeting the Republic forces by cutting through Luton from the north. Carrying supplies and will successfully create a pathway to Brokeridge."

"All of this seems too easy." Mykle whispered to Sadie who was busy listening intently. "I hate when plans sound like that."

"Be best prepared then." She replied.

"I like it that we're so used to our original plans going into the dumpster we caution to be prepared." 

"It's important you all stick together and do not leave your group of four." Chassis put his hand over his heart. "Do not give into the temptation to flee, for desertion will not be tolerated under any circumstance without permission from your commanding officer." Chassis' voiced boomed throughout the entire room, hitting the soldiers right in the heart. 

"Admiral Benji will lead you, brief you and arm you for the impending battle." Chassis stepped aside and let the bean counter do his thing. Benji was no Bothan, a human to be exact, strong in appearance, having brown eyes that stared daggers into everybody in attendance almost one by one. 

"We will arm you with the standard DC-15 assault rifles, you've used them before, know how they work and so on." The soldiers collectively nodded, looking at each other for the same confirmation. 

"Admiral," one soldier raised his hand, Benji gave him the permission to speak. "We have a new recruit here, perhaps he'd like to be informed." 

Mykle rose from his seat, a bit insulted at the rookie hazing he had just received. "Actually, I've fired the DC-15 numerous times, quite well too." He answered before Benji could inquire about him. "I've also fired a DL-44 heavy blaster. A Republic issued pistol and a bowcaster." The room filled up with "oohs" and "ahhs", Mykle started to wonder if he had just become the most popular soldier in the militia. 

"Alright, settle down, I've heard about you boy, Sadie and Feevious have put in good words for you. Don't screw up." He pointed directly at Mykle.

"Yes sir." He said obediently. 

"Let's continue," 

The briefing went on and on, Mykle struggled to stay up. His eyelids became heavier than lead, the sweet release of sleep really stared to seduce him. His body felt softer, legs began to relax. Mykle slide in his seat ready to drift off into dreamland right when the meeting was adjourned. 

Leaving the room Mykle felt bad he didn't even soak in one detail and to make him perspire Benji singled him out to not "screw up". 

"Anything important in there i might've missed?" He asked, the Twi'lek only rolled her eyes and explained the plan in the simplest terms that not even an eight-year old couldn't understand. 

"The admiral", as Sadie referred to him as, had told them to pick up three crates of weapons in Qutar two towns over. Tired, and seeing as Mykle already had his beauty sleep Sadie told him to drive them there. 

"How do we know we're not being set up to be patsies?" Mykle inquired. "It's very easy to get jumped on in these things."

"Don't have to tell me." Sadie replied. They've been through this before, the deals that went as plans and the ones that... fell through. "Feevious trusts me, I'm their best mercenary, he can't afford to lose me." Sadie assured Mykle of their safety. 

"If that's the case then why is he making us run his petty errands?" He asked.

"Guess he doesn't trust anyone else to get the job done." She answered. 

"Then those guys must be damn fools." He reiterated. "A bit slow in the head."

"They're good guys, fighters who believe in the cause." Sadie defended. "May not be perfect, but it's better than what we're currently looking at." 

"How do we know this Feevious guy isn't gonna use the vacated throne to takeover Lianos?" Mykle didn't buy Sadie's defense.

"We'll stop him." Somehow that didn't put the boys mind at ease. 

Believing it be best to bury the subject, Mykle focused on the task at hand. Sadie drove them out of Oak Town, she looked behind her more than once to make sure there wasn't anybody tailing her. "You see anybody?" She asked. Mykle shook his head. All that work for crime bosses back in her early years left her paranoid like they were. 

"Be cool." He told her, though she didn't oblige. "What we doing?"

"Meeting the buyer, contact's name is Wilphere Sleco, longtime ally of the militia." Sadie explained. "Worked with him sometime ago, before the war in fact. Be interesting to see him now."'

"Was he quite the character before you two went your separate ways?" He asked.

"He certainly had ambition. Never ceased to talk about what was on horizon for him, how he'd soon have no worries. We were young and dumb." 

"Now you guys are almost in your thirties and doing what?" 

"I don't know." 

Pulling into a small alleyway, Sadie parked the speeder headfirst, Mykle took noticed, a pit suddenly grew in his stomach, as if he had just swallowed bells and they rang inside him. "Can you back into this spot, be easier to leave." 

Sadie thought the request was odd, but obliged. Wilphere waited somewhat impatiently, holding a bag instead of a crate. Bald headed, tattered up polyester jacket that smelt of burnt liquor. Wasn't a pretty sight. 

"Wilphere?" Sadie walked up slowly to him, keeping Mykle behind her. "That you?" 

"Sadie Shō...." His purple eyes began to lose focus, unable to comprehend. "I thought you died?!" He exclaimed joyously.

"You're intel's bad as per usual." She said. "Listen, I don't have much time to converse." She rolled her green hands around to signify her interest in hurrying up here.

"Oh, of course." Wilphere. "I've got some mean toys for your militia, the Seppies desperately wanted this stash, but I wouldn't hand it over to them for all the credits in the galaxy." Wilphere laid down two zip up dark black bags, opening them to show what he was selling wasn't a farce. "Beautiful ain't it?" He smiled brightly. 

"Yeah. Prolific killing machines." Mykle's said dryly. 

"Who's this guy?" Wilphere eyed the boy, having never seen him before.

"He's an acquaintance of mine, don't worry about it." Sadie explained. "Here's the money." She handed his payment over.

"Fifty-five thousand?" He wanted to make sure, she nodded, about to take the bags and walk away. "You sure about that?" Wilphere asked again. 

"Yes." She turned her head back to him, having a suspicious eye. Her and Mykle's pace hastened, Wilphere tried to call out to them, but didn't know what to say. 

"Forget it," He muttered in defeat, grabbing the collar of his shirt and pulling it to his lips. "Swarm! Swarm!" He repeated as men armed with Separatists grade assault rifles aimed eager to blow off the Rebels' heads.

"You snake!" Sadie cursed him, letting the two bags slink off her shoulders. The newly minted soldiers slowly approached them, Wilphere looked satisfied walking away. 

Mykle took a quick survey of the alleyway, seeing two dumpsters on either side of the walls, extending his hands, his feelings raw, finger tips tingling they blocked them from getting any closer. Slinging the bag on his shoulder, Mykle told Sadie to take their window. "Come on!" He yelled, dragging her after grabbing the second bag. The soldiers shot at their escapees, having to navigate through the hurdle first, which bought them time. 

"We can't go back to the speeder, we'll have to go on foot!" Mykle told Sadie, both still having their weapons holstered. "Be best if we use our blasters." He recommended in a tongue and cheek manner. Their pursuers kept on their tail, unwavering and shot without hesitation. "Go down Sellio Street, we'll lose them in the traffic!" Mykle and Sadie jumped over the barrier and crash down towards the hard concrete, barley able to avoid incoming traffic. 

"Don't shoot, we kill a civilian it's our heads!" One commanding officer ordered his men to holster their weapons. Meanwhile, Sadie still shot at them killing four effortlessly. Infuriated, the commanding officer forwent his orders to wait until his superior recommended a course of action and just told his men to go after them. 

"Give us your car, man!" Mykle stopped a top down speeder, holding the driver at gunpoint, dragging him out of the seat. "Get it, Shō!" Mykle ordered of her, she sat in the passenger seat with little reluctance. Putting pedal to the medal, Mykle wasted little time in escaping their would-be captors. However, they were hot on their trail.

"Can't believe we just carjacked someone." Sadie said, remorse plastered on her face for a brief moment before a determined one replaced it. 

"It's war, it's a dirty business." Mykle jerked the steering wheel left, then right, then left again, the traffic came at him lightning fast, a stacked highway in rush hour was sure to end in a collision that either result in their deaths or them being captured and eventually killed. "They're on us!" Mykle notified Sadie, who got the message and started loading her blaster pistol. "Can you shoot a moving target?" He asked, earning a scoff and a brief chuckle from older Twi'lek.

"Who you think you're talking too?" And in a flash two speeders crashed thanks to her sharpshooting, hitting one driver in the shoulder, another in the head, resulting in a massive pile up on their road. "Two down, four left!" She started to get cocky. 

"How many are they gonna send?!" Mykle couldn't believe the lengths they were going through to catch them for a simple weapons deal. 

"Shocking, they look at weapons being given to the opposition as threatening." She rolled her eyes. The shots rained upon them, Mykle struggled mightily not to swerve, many in the speeders ahead of them abandoned their cars to run away. "It's like driving around a bunch of big traffic cones." 

"You pass your drivers test?" Sadie asked, tongue in cheek. 

"More of less." He gave his usual noncommittal answer. Droids came into their view too, the organic Separatist army ate up the space between them. "Less talking, more shooting, friend!" His voice shook as he eyed his pursuers in the rear view mirror. 

"Gonna head them off in the ravine." Mykle didn't wait for Sadie's input, instead driving directly off the road into the dirty puddles of a nearby storm drain. 

"Don't think they're daunted by your sudden change of direction." Sadie remarked dryly, looking at her gas canister to find it fresh out. "Bad news.." She stifled her words slightly, Mykle instantly knew the hand they've been dealt only worsened on the river. 

"We have a bag of weapons!" He pointed out, impatient in wanting her to grab the nearest gun and shoot. 

"Yeah, in the trunk." She retorted. Mykle slumped in his chair for a brief moment, the blazing bolts that collided with his side view mirror jolted him upwards, his mind raced. 

"Use that Force thing you have!" She suggested, after eyeing her like she was insane, he took a breath. 

"To do what?!" He asked.

"Something!" Was all she could come up with."

Thinking hard, Mykle's green eyes caught a glimpse of an upcoming passageway dead ahead. "Hope you don't mind foul smells." Mykle jerked the steering wheel hard, sending the Twi'lek's shoulder against the window, turning into the passageway, catching their pursuers off guard as they swerved while coming to a harsh stop, this buying some time for the two to escape. 

"Seems like we've loss them." Sadie looked back cautiously, her sights put those worries out of her mind. "Should we split up, meet back up at Oak Town tomorrow?" She suggested. Mykle pulled the speeder to the side, got out and handed Sadie his only working blaster. 

"Not much juice is left in this thing, but it's better than nothing." He said. Dropping the blaster in the drivers seat. "Dump the speeder, they'll be looking for it." He added. Just as he was about to walk away, weaponless, Sadie exited the vehicle and patted down on the truck. 

"Idiot, take one of these!" She tossed him a DL-44 heavy blaster, his favorite, then sped off with the bags. Pulling out his communicator, after holstering the weapon, he could only hope he'd grab a reception despite being under heavy concrete. 

"Feevious." He called for. "Me and Sadie got jumped at the deal, she's got the stuff though, and will bring it to you when the heat dies down." He explained, expecting him to be jubilant that the rebellion avoided catastrophe. 

"Blast it!" He barked. "Can't trust anybody on this forsaken planet, my people always attract attention." He complained on and on. 

"Hey, there was nothing we could have done. You best count your blessings." He talked to him very slowly like he was speaking to a particular stupid child. 

"Relax," Feevious took a breath. "We got the stuff don't we." If he was fond of occasional muscle relaxers, they must've started to kick in. "Come back to me soon." Was all he said to finish the conversation on a vague note. Little bewildered, undaunted Mykle took the left exit of the tunnel in hopes of creating separation between his and Sadie's trail, a speeder raced by him, unable to see one of the their valued targets slink away like he just avoided serious injury from a house fire.

Rarely did the new ruler/Sith apprentice lose her temper. Failure is common, certainly in her life and of her peers. But when word got back to her of the organic and droid armies failure to capture Mykle Briggs, mostly due to their general incompetence, her skin boiled beet red. "Cyrus," She called one of her many underlings. Unable to hide his bewildered demeanor, legs shook like stilts. "Next time I have an idea such as this, remind me of this day." Klingston kept her tone of voice calm, as if in a meeting. But Cyrus, as did everyone in the building knew not to suggest a different course of action.

"Will you disband the organic program?" Cyrus asked, he looked passed his superior rather than at. Klingston shook her head, obviously discouraged, but not to the point of withdrawing.

"What is the most challenging tasks, prove to be the most fruitful." She explained. Another piece of fortune cookie wisdom passed down to her. It wasn't in character her to say such stuff. 

"If I may ask, why do you want Mykle Briggs?" Cyrus earned himself a colder than Hoth stare, which said all what was needed to be said. Leaving the room before Klingston could reply, the Sith slumped in her chair. The work towered over her, all military matters now in her court. She started to feel remorse for murdering her father, mostly cause he could have provided some help in this field. 

 

Clones gathered under an awning, the pitter patter of rainfall lapped over the sound of the holonet. Emerging from his quarters General Skywalker walked over to the growing crowd, Jayson Flynn listened intently to the report coming in fresh from Qutar. 

"What happened?" Anakin asked Jayson, taking his dainty fingers off his slightly curved chin, Jayson craned his neck to look at the Jedi Knight.

"There's been a car chase in Qutar, said to have ended in the storm drain." 

Anakin failed to see why this was so interesting. So a police chase occurred, big whoop. "And this is relevant to our work here how?" Anakin exclaimed to grab the chattering clones' attention. 

"They said it was the militia." Jayson added, then went back to listening to the radio announcer. "None reported dead, several injured-" Anakin cut off the boy, now invested in the broadcast. 

"The fire has just been putout in downtown Qutar, luckily only a very few unfortunate souls suffered injuries beyond bruised. Service on the main highway has been cut, curfews have been enforced. Qutar, a business hub for most of Lianos, like MiCo, is subjected to the appearance of a ghost town at nightfall." 

"Doesn't help the militia's reputation if they keep making lives for all of the normal people harder." Jayson said, feeling he was turning against their allies just slightly.

"Or maybe their opponents are responding the way they actually want them too." Anakin rebutted. "People don't believe the Separatists restrict them, this disproves that theory." 

"How do we know they won't just get blamed, along with us? They're our affiliates." Jayson asked. 

"No one ever said Feevious was a capable PR man." Anakin joked. "Alright everybody, back to work, time to prep!" The crowd dispersed, Jayson's attention remained glued to the holonet. "You two, rookie." He switched the machine off. With a loud groan, one reminiscent of a teenager told to crawl out of bed early in the day, Jayson rose up to assist the clones in their battle preparation." 

 

"Hello," Mykle raised the wrist comm to his mouth. "who's this?"

"It's Tiana." 

"Hey, T, you alright?" From all the commotion of the last few days he forgot about his sister and the rest of his family. 

"We're fine. Managed to get faraway from the conflict." She said, leading to a big sigh relief from Mykle. "I can't tell you where, this is the only call the administrators will let me make." She confessed. 

"I understand." He said somberly. "As long as you are okay, is all that matters. I will come get you soon, Tiana, I promise." 

"Don't worry, we're all fine." She laughed, a little snort present in her cackles brought a smile to his face. "I gotta go." 

"See you soon, please stay safe, I love you." And just like that the surprise call ended. It gave Mykle quite a boost to know the safety of his closest loved one. This war seemed far from over, but Mykle knew through all the distorted details he was on the right side and was in the fight for all the correct reasons.


	8. Chapter 8

Finding the right candidate to takedown the most powerful senator in all of the Republic wasn't an easy task for the elder chancellor. They needed a "fresh" face, with "fresh" ideas. But ones that weren't too disconnected from his own. 

At the same time, the chancellor wasn't the most popular politician in the Republic. With approval ratings in the mid-thirties, the constants only tightened on who'd be the the best option to overthrow the elected supreme ruler tuned senator. 

"Chancellor," His freckled top head peeked to see who dared to interrupt him. Senators Bail Organa and Padmé Amidala. Quick to hide the file of candidates to support financially, Palpatine swiped them away and cleaned his history. "We have come to speak of the recent Republic involvement on Lianos." Bail spoke first, while Padmé took her seat. 

"Yes. Shame we did not know of its industrial importance until recently." He said drearily. Could have saved him a headache too.

"Many lives were loss to bureaucratic incompetence." Padmé defiantly pointed out the creaky system the chancellor headed. "When I assisted you to your election you told me the bureaucratic system that stifled aide to my home planet during the Trade Federation wouldn't happen again." 

"I assure you my lady I have done everything I can." Palpatine bit his tongue. "We have proposed bills to assist the militia prior to this event." He lied with a straight face. "Politics is a dirty business, senator." 

"You said you'd clean it up." Amidala asserted. "I need your emergency powers to declare Lianos a 'rogue government', it will invalidate every politicians claims that Lianos is nothing more than a platform for demagogues to speak about." 

"Senator it isn't that cut and dry." Palpatine smiled, his back became tense. "The Republic has plans for Lianos once under our influence." He explained. "Antagonizing it further wouldn't be smart."

"Catering to them hasn't worked either." Organa pointed out. "The acts that have taken place on Lianos have been unacceptable." 

"No different from other war torn planets." Palpatine asserted, his eyes becoming unfocused. "Let's not get swept away by emotion."

"Excluding emotion is what's got us here. I demand you do as I suggest or I will be forced to call for a vote of no confidence." Padmé threatened, bringing back memories of how she kickstarted Palpatine's rise to chancellor. 

He couldn't resist flashing a bright smile when those words hit his eardrum. "With all due respect, I have more allies in the senate than Valorium did." He dared her to give it a shot however. Undaunted, the senator continued.

"Don't think so. The Senate wants Separatists blood." This was true. The Confederacy had a poor reputation in the senate, little allies that would vouch for them if and when peace would be negotiated.

"But the people do not." He said deadly serious. "And with an election coming up it may not be wise."

"Leaders have to make principled, unpopular decisions." She answered.

"And be ready to face the consequences." The room became silent, the chancellor exchanged cold stares with Senator Amidala, Bail sought to ease the tension perhaps with a compromise, but couldn't think of one on the spot. Until. 

"I can propose a bill that'll give the Fair Liberty militia weapons, tanks and starships. It'll cost some money, but I can put up most of the cash." He seemed to defuse the shouting match ready to be taken place, the two opposing parties rested in their seats and pondered the idea.

"Very well." The chancellor spoke up first. "I am willing to sign it by executive order if you drop this idea of declaring Lianos a 'Rogue Government'." 

Swallowing hard, Padmé knew this was as best as it was gonna get. Maybe next time she'd get what she politically desired. 

Palpatine almost got on his knees and kissed Bail Organa's black tipped shoes he was so grateful. He didn't have time for this kind of petty political squabble. Good guys and bad guys. Who cares? All of them were just pawns in his big game of chess, little regard should be paid to any of these sides. One of the perks of having an expandable army is Palpatine believed the Republic's citizens wouldn't care about the death totals. Biggest regret he had since launching this war was not easing the effects it would have on peoples wallets. Having several dozen mouths to feed, knowing he had to move fast before another peasant came to his door with a list of demands, the chancellor needed to eliminate his most staunch rival. Just not in the way that would make him or her a martyr. 

 

"Yes, you're serious right, Davidson? Perfect!" Feevious ended the transmission, letting out a joyous roar. "You won't believe what luck has smiled down on to me, Sadie!" He hugged her tight for a brief moment. The Twi'lek tried walking away, but the grip was too strong.

"What?" She asked, shimming her way out of his hug. 

"Weapons, tanks, who knows what else is on its way here!" He slapped his ankle and howled in self satisfaction. "The end is near my dear friend, and it's because of people like you."

"Nobody here knows how to drive a tank, let alone fly a starship." She pointed out. The soldiers were just farmers who took up arms, it's amazing they knew how to follow orders. 

"So?" Feevious looked at her like Sadie looking a gift horse in the mouth. "The clones will operate them." 

"What if the Republic takes a hands off approach?" She asked. Getting annoyed, Feevious waived her off and continued on with his celebration, taking out a bottle of hard Lianos whiskey and pounded two hot, rough shots. 

"Goes down smooth after you get used to it." He laughed, offering her a glass, which she refused.

"So where do I and Mykle factor into this?" She asked.

"You'll join us on the front lines of course, General Shō." At first Sadie thought Feevious was joking about the general thing, but as the seconds ticked away without a correction she realized what she's just been given. 

"Pardon?" 

"General!" He repeated loudly, the booze taking its toll quite early. "Wonderful ain't it. Lianos' local daughter comes to save it from tyranny. With my help of course." 

"Of course." Her eyes drew away from the now drunken leader. "What about Benji, isn't he more qualified to lead such operations?" 

"Nah. Truth be told, Benji is a good man when given a small force, 150 men tops. You'll be handed 750 at least." 

"750?!" She couldn't believe this. "Are you mental?" She asked.

"At least." He said. Sadie didn't know which comment did he respond to with that remark. Maybe both. 

"Why are you so shocked, you've lead squadrons before. Heck, we took on Death Watch a year-in-a-half ago." He took another big swig of his whiskey, the room began to spin. 

"Nothing." She got up and decided to leave Feevious to enjoy his personal party. "I'll do what I can." The weight of the entire galaxy suddenly fell atop of her shoulders, Sadie's posture drooped slightly, the men and women she seen outside of Feevious' office meant more to her. She was entrusted with their lives. 

 

Mykle made his way back to Oak Town, doubling back to a few towns over in hopes of loser pursuers, if their were indeed any. For the first time Mykle felt vulnerable to any organic or machine that wished to take him down. Proceeding with caution he made it back to the guarded area, showing his card and everything in order to gain entry.

Stores began to close up earlier than usual, many stayed put inside their homes. In the middle of the public square a long lined was formed of people wishing to donate their canned foods for the soldiers going off into battle. Mykle looked on, quite awestruck at the moment's relevancy which had just hit him like a train. This was real. He was about to take on the second (arguably most) powerful army in all of the galaxy. No turning back now. Privately, Mykle didn't want to take on the big bad. Every common sense instinct told him to run and never to look back. Yet with every step he took it was deeper into the fortress.

"Hey, Mykle!" Feevious, a little woozy, holding his wobbly head called out to him. "My office." Feevious combed his ratty brown hair in effort to look more presentable for battle. Mykle meanwhile looked as if he needed a shower and bad. 

"So we're really doing this?" He still could believe it. "Aren't we waiting for the Jedi?" He asked. 

"They'll help us, we're attacking Hako, destroy the military camp and push the Seppies out of the industrial capital in MiCo." He declared, voice going up a pitch at the end. 

"You sound confident." Mykle wondered why so.

"I've lived my whole life for this moment, to stick it to the Seppies. They will learn that I am not to be trifled. This is my land and I fully intend on protecting that tomorrow."

"Right." He started look around the room figuring Feevious must be joking about looking at this issue purely as a personal opportunity for himself. "You brought me in here because?" Feevious opened up his desk drawer on the left and took out a card. Paper. It didn't feel right in Mykle's hands, the ancient material looked foreign, written in a language that obviously was not basic.

"It's not a card," Feevious told Mykle as if reading his mind. "well, it is, but not paper. Go meet Zilik, show him that and he'll get you ready for your role." He turned away resuming to doll himself up. "I didn't think about giving it to you, but Sadie convinced me you were worth it."

"Yeah, thanks." Mykle rolled his eyes and hustled out of the room. "The face of the rebellion everyone." He thought to himself.

Walking down a flow below the office, took sometime for Mykle to realize that's where Feevious wanted him to go, observing the arsenal on display. Mostly bombs. The weaponry was shockingly primitive, blasters looked antiquated even for the days of the Old Republic when the Jedi battled the Sith Empire. For Pete sake, there was multiple rolls of barbed wire shelved! 

"Look at all this junk, like I walked into an antique shop." Mykle worried that if he laid a finger on any of this stuff it immediately devolve into dust. 

"Don't touch!" A hand came out of the shadows to slap Mykle's palm away, only reinforcing this thought. "It's very delicate." Oh, now Mykle felt even more confident in using these things. From the shadows emerged a blue skinned Zebrak, black tattoos all over her face and body. Mykle looked at her, comparing her appearance to that deceased Sith apprentice Darth Maul, who was of the same race. 

"Who gave you clearance to come down here?" She wanted to know so she could royal punish the fools. This was her workspace, nobody was to disturb or dare assist her. 

"Feevious sent me, told me to show you this." Mykle handed her the card, Zilik groaned, her dissatisfaction known to him. 

"You?" She eyed him suspiciously. "What makes you so special?" Not wanting to hear whatever feeble response she believed Mykle had, she escorted him to the back of the area. "I've been working on this thing for a long time, only one in stock so don't lose it!" She ordered of him. 

"Lose what? What's going on here?" Mykle began to get frustrated. "What's so valuable. Am I delivering some sort of relic to a museum?" He figured. 

"No, dolt!" She slapped him upside the head, a ringing sound started to pound in his left ear. "Just wait." Pulling one lever the room started to shake, his legs buckled slightly grabbing the railing for support while Zilik stood firm. "You get used to it after a while." She said.

"Good to know." Mykle said somehow managing not to get sick.

Finally the room settled, what emerged opposite of the gates was a sniper rifle strapped to a table. "That's it?" Mykle pointed to it. "This is what Feevious made a big deal of?" He said with laughter. Zilik eyed him again, about to smack his left her once more until Mykle put his guard up. 

"See that target over there." She pointed to a piece of hanging cardboard in a long room laying straight ahead from barrel of the gun. "Hit it." 

She unstrapped the weapon from its table and have Mykle one blast worth of gas. It was heavier than any weapon he previously held, yet smaller. It's sight was not different from the pistol he'd prefer to carry in battle. Eyeing the piece of cardboard he shot one blast and suddenly the whole room shook again this time with greater force, he thought the planet was about to cave into its fiery core. The target burned, the dark room now ablaze with fire.

"Explosives, more accurate than a rocket launcher, deadly, makes a divot the size of the sarlac pits on Tatooine. Droids can't navigate through holes to save their wires." Zilik said confidently. 

"Some." Mykle said now in fear of the awesome power he was given. "This....it's a killing machine." He said stifling his speech slightly.

"Welcome to war, boy." Zilik slapped his arm, her face brighter than his. Mykle suddenly felt the same thing as Sadie did when she was given the title of general. Oh how he hated this feeling.


	9. Chapter 9

The next day was one that came as a shock to many, the sun emerged from the clouds emitting a heat that hadn't been felt on the planet in weeks. Geared up for the blistering cold of Lianos' winter, clones could not keep their armor on less they suffer a stroke.

Despite pleas from the medical droid - which she later turned off- Ahsoka exited her bed and was ready to resume her Jedi duties just in time for the battle when the heat added twenty pounds of sweat to her. Having naturally cooler skins than their human counterparts, Ahsoka still felt run down the moment she came out of the shade. 

"How you feeling, boys?" She greeted the clones, for the first time she seen them without their armor in their underclothes. 

"The med droid clear you for duty?" Rex asked surprised to see her out.

"Oh, yes, of course!" She lied. "When are we departing?" 

"Less than an hour, you've came just in time." Rex wiped a big slop of sweat off his forehead. "It was below zero just last night." He couldn't believe Lianos' fluctuating weather. "Perhaps it'll be for our benefit, eh? Dooku's pet now has organics fighting for her now." 

"Yes, I've heard." Ahsoka nodded, she's never fought a soldier that didn't have electrical circuits in its head. 

"Just goes to show you, even the wicked aren't above PR." He smiled, which startled the teen a bit, not used to Rex's cheery demeanor. 

Ahsoka left back to her quarters to grab her lightsaber, Anakin did tell her it was waiting for her there. From out of the blue she started to think of the prison cellmate she encountered in Oak Town. Home of their supposed allies that will be fighting along their side today. They didn't believe her status, threw her into a dark, cold cell with no intentions of hearing her out. The boy seemed to be the only sensible person in the entire town, and yet he was locked inside a cage like an animal with her. 

Jayson didn't help her, heck he only succeeded in making her more reluctant to help the militia. Just because you're barley better than a dictatorship does not make you a glorious democracy, where are Lianos' checks and balances, representation directly to the people? 

Like Skywalker, Jayson accept the universe as it is, little vision on how to change it. She wanted to change it. 

"Looking for this?" Jayson dangled her lightsaber from his hip. "Figured you'd sneak out." His sly smile made her wanna puke at times. 

"Alright, you got me. Now give it." She stretched out her red gloved hand. 

"Why shouldn't i tell Anakin?" He asked.

"Because, I'll tell the clones how I saved you, the squadron you put in danger on Christophsis the first day of your Knighthood." She threatened his pride, a very successful tactic, quickly reunited with her blade that made her feel like a Jedi again.

"To tell the truth, I'm glad to have you out there." He gave her a friendly slap of the shoulder. "You always watch my back, Snips." Using Anakin's nickname for her, something she's always hated. But she figured it was the price to pay to call him by his nickname "Skyguy". 

"I hate that nickname." She let out a tiny laugh, Jayson snickered.

"I know. But, he only gave it to you cause-" 

"I know," she packed up her backup with food rations, first aid materials and other essentials. 

"I mean, come on, 'Skyguy', what are you eight and dumb?" He laughed at her harder.

"Ohh, 'dumb' such great use of the basic language, very mature for a Knight such as yourself." 

"Whatever, I'll see you out there, Ahsoka, be careful of Anakin." He warned her. 

"I overheard his talk with the Fair Liberty Militia, said he was leading their faction while you took on the clones." She thought he knew this.

"No," He said, a bit forceful. "I mean, don't let him find out you've disobeyed his orders." She responded with a roll of her big blue eyes.

"Come on." 

"I'm serious, he wouldn't take lightly to this." Jayson meant every word.

"I'll see you out there, Jock." She said. "Thanks for the warning." 

 

The sun beaded down on Oak Town, Mykle awoke in a hot sweat, unable to sleep for most of the night. His body trembled, why he know whether it was the fact he's never partaken in a real military battle before, the fate of Lianos hung in the balance, or the severe heat was giving him a stroke.

In either case he was to get up prior to the crack of dawn, be present at inside the hanger bay no later than that. Sadie appeared to be in much more control of her emotions than Mykle. She carried herself well, talking to the soldiers engaging in conversation for questions they might have about the plans. Meanwhile Feevious was no where in sight. Safe to say Sadie has taken up the leadership mantle.

"Where's Feevious?" Mykle asked her, only to earn a shrug, she returned back to her business right after that. He just stood in the middle of the hanger bay awkwardly. The whole base scrambled to get ready, officers led their men and women to their stations where they would be deployed. Briggs' wrist comm went off, Feevious was on the line and not to keen on conversation. 

"Mykle," He started, his voice sounding horsed. "Get a vantage point over the fields in Hanko, keep watch for sniper, rocket launcher fire, and protect our ground troops." Before he could reply the transmission ended. 

"Alright." All Mykle said, still in disbelief he was doing this. 

Grabbing a vehicle, a military grade speeder painted jet black, he noted how it looked similar to what the Separatists police force used, Mykle left the base and headed for Hanko. Again, his comm link went off. 

"Hello," He kept his eyes squarely on the road, answers short. 

"Mykle, I just wanted to make sure you were alright?" Sadie asked him. 

"I'm fine. Going now to my spot." He didn't want to give too much information to her. "When are you guys joining the party?"

"Soon. Don't worry about us, just promise me you'll come back in one piece." She had a lump in her threat as she said this. "I look around and see allot of kids eager to be known, I have to keep them from jumping into the pit of fire."

"That's a typical job for a general." He said, hiding how odd he found this characteristic in children. 

"Only the ones that care about their soldiers." She gloomily noted. "Be safe." Sadie repeated.

"I will, Sadie." He warmly assured her. 

When he arrived at Hanko, a good distance from the Separatists military training facility, his options were various of which vantage point to take. The hills in the east provided a great sight, but the harsh winds of the day in front of him makes it impossible to get a clean shot off. The old library had a bell that rung every morning, it's height a 120 meters high enough to see possibly over the large walls. Mykle didn't feel the need to survey anywhere else, the highest point was the best one, taking his weapon he climbed up 18 staircases to get to the top, his knees felt like jello after all of that and the brutal heat didn't make the journey easier. 

With the wind at his back this turned out to be the best position where to shoot. "I'm in position." He told Sadie. 

"Wait for us to get there, don't take your eyes off that scope." She told him. 

Alone, only with his thoughts to keep him company, Mykle's eye bulged while looking at thru the scope. Organics, mostly human, fraternized with their droid companions as if next door neighbors. Those men and women most happy were the ones who'd pick up arms against the Republic. Those believed the Separatists system was their system. That freedom was indeed a form of slavery. 

Mykle watched, watched and watched the building, scaling walls, and the outdoor exercises. Sith apprentice Kerry Klingston made her presence known, running with the organics around the track, exchanging cold stares to those she believed were dogging it. Did Feevious know the Sith would be here? This drastically altered how he thought the battle play out. A Force used meant this wasn't to be decided by military wit and firepower, but by one gifted individual. Mykle was a fool to believe this would not be a battle featuring the latter.

Course he could just end her right here, save allot of lives. Unable to pull the trigger no matter how much coaxing, the moment slipped by, Klingston strolled back inside. "Hope they get here soon," Mykle spoke to himself "I don't wanna sit here and dwell on this." 

A bellicose feeling swept the militia as they boarded transports and left for battle. Hurrahs and various battle cries heard throughout the town, its citizens cheerfully sending them off. "Win one so we may come out the shadows!" one pleaded to the soldiers. "Freedom at all cost!" another called out. Ear popping roars resumed when the people seem the first transport leave the hanger bay via local holonet. 

Lianos shook, all of a sudden the stable ground had the foundation of jelly. People fell into others laps, soldiers thrown off their transports, trees stripped from their roots. Like the planets core had been opened up, fire engulfed half the city within moments, a scene of patriotism turned to chaos. Those marching off into the battle of their lives, scrambled to save their loved ones. From the west three starfighters dropped mega bombs on the town, adding gasoline to the already brilliant burning flame. Oak Town sunk, Sadie Shō ordered her men, all the legions she could to turn back and assist in the makeshift evacuation. Her quick shift in plans didn't yield successful results. Soon the Separatists army would be at their door, looking to take lives, prisoners and end the resistance once and for all. 

"Mykle," she called for him, by this time he was fighting off the urge to rest. 

"Where are you?" He asked in a hushed harsh whisper. 

"Oak Town, its under attack, I need you to come back and help now." Sadie knew her time was short.

"What could I do?" He asked, as he began to descend. The feeling of his heart about to pound out of his chest returned. 

"Go to the Jedi camp, see if they've been spotted, if not lead them here, they're somewhere located in MiCo." Sadie told him. "Not too far. Now go, please!"

He entered his vehicle only to see four bright lights in his rear flash on. He was about to be tailed, Mykle looked back and ducked laser fire. His ears popped, but still able to see, the boy took a hard turn into the forest taking narrow dirt pathway. You're only able to go so fast in these parts, lots of reliance on the breaks, Mykle hopped the Separatists didn't teach their recruits how to drive in these terrains yet. 

"Let's see if you guys can drive in the wild." Another harsh left turn, then another, he didn't waste time firing his gun, the obstacles did the job sufficiently. One speeder crashed in flames in the trees. Another flipped over and landed on top of the two Steels. The tails were loss. Now all Mykle had to worry about was somehow convincing a Jedi Knight of their allies apparent demise. Shouldn't be difficult.

 

"Miss Klingston, our ships have targeted the Jedi camp." An official informed her, watching the demise of Oak Town from the battle monitors, now it was time to move on to the other target. "Fire when ready." and just like that the city of MiCo became visible on the holomap for its sheer flame. 

Skywalker, Flynn and Rex stood together disabled by shock. "We've been found." Flynn muttered under his breath. His first inclination was to go back for Ahsoka, Anakin stopped him.

"Come, we need to make sure the wounded get to safety!" he tried to explain to him that Ahsoka was somewhere in the camp, not in the medical ward, but Skywalker did not have time to talk. 

"How did they find us?!" Rex did not understand. "We covered our tracks, moved away from the original basecamp." He listed the actions taken to ensure their safety.

"Couldn't hide forever," Jayson said. "we took too long." 

Anakin was not about to have any of this. "It doesn't matter now, what matters is our new objective. Now both of you shut up!" 

Clones moved fast to move their wounded brethren out of harms way, the transports that were to be used to take down Klingston's military base, now acted as taxis. "They got the air, best to stay in the forest, use the trees for camouflage." Jayson suggested. 

"The Separatists don't care about Lianos' wildlife, Jayson." Anakin rejected the idea. We can head downtown, use the pathways to lose them, break off into sections. One fights off the Seppies, the other takes care of those unable to fight. Rex, you head up the latter. Me and Jayson lead the former." He laid out the plan, not willing to hear out the alternative before settling. 

Ahsoka needed her communicator, she left it in her tent when she walked out to practice her lightsaber skills. Now the world was burning all around her and she could not call anyone. The heatwave felt like an over turned up to the max temperature, Ahsoka felt her orange skin was melting off her body. She looked behind her and squinted. "No ground troops?" this was unbelievable to her. She knew this was the work of Klingston and the Seppies, but she never seen them go all in on an airstrike like this. 

Either way she had to run back to camp. Many of the wounded counted on her to keep them safe, two blasts later her body flung backwards like a rubber band and a large fire moat separated her from her camp. "Anakin..." she did not want to leave him. She was no coward; the situation left her little choice. A speeder drove madly passed her, only to turn back at the sight of the massive fire divide. Turning back, the driver saw Ahsoka standing not to far from the flames holding her now banged up shoulder. 

"You again?" It was Mykle. "Come on, get in!" He told her, only to shake her head. 

"I can't leave them." Right as she said that more Separatists decorated the skies, the camp was not firing back, all the artillery was being used by one side. 

Slightly annoyed, but also sympathetic, Mykle thought for a quick second then hatched an idea. "I got a weapon in the back that can deal with some of these guys, get in!" The statement sounded more like a promise than a cold sell. She entered the passenger seat and Mykle looked for a vantage point. "There, another bell tower." He felt lucky to find one a similar size to the one in Hanko. 

"So what?" She did understand. 

 

"Lay down suppressing fire, Hyde, give us those mortars." Anakin pointed directly to the clones he was speaking to. Jayson was on the verge of panic, here's Anakin calmly giving orders like he planned this ahead of time.

 

"Prepare my transport, I will lead the ground force." Klingston announced, her room of generals, some organics, others robots were even surprised. 

"With all due respect, my lady, Dooku, Grievous rarely lead battles themselves." One sir pipped up in a rather pipsqueak tone.

"Count yourself fortunate I'm on your side." She said with a wink.


	10. Chapter 10

Only a few survived the raid. Oak Town, the resistance stronghold, belonged to the Separatists. Likely to force those they haven't killed to join the ranks in their army hellbent on bring democracy to their knees. Shō stood next to two of her admirals, one wounded, electing not to tended to until the soldiers were bandaged up prior. The other, grey pale faced, cold and lifeless. Maximilian Karis hadn't said a word since before the raid. Sadie was the only leader who hadn't let that moment defeat her. 

"General," a ranking officer walked over to the blue Twi'lek, bandaged up lekkus, a band, left hand, wouldn't be able to shoot as properly. Sadie couldn't even hold her drinking glass. "Leader Feevious, he's...he's--" the officer didn't have the strength to be the barer of more bad news. As if this lot needed more reasons to give up.

"Thank you." Was all Sadie could say, before mercifully dismissing him. Karis looked at her, pale face, dead eyes and all.

"Looks like you're our new leader." He said through a croaked throat. 

"Technically you're the second in command." She pointed out.

"I willfully give my position up to you." He replied without as much as a thought. "This rebellion doesn't need a pragmatist like I, it needs strong, inspiring leadership in this moment of grave uncertainty." 

"Doesn't mean we'll win." 

"We'll have to." Her eyes regaining focus, a chill ran down her spine at the thought this wasn't the only card Klingston had up her sleeve. "She knew about this," she started. "she didn't wake up to find us this morning, this was planned to hit us at our most emotionally fragile, to zap the life out of those willing to fight. Klingston only toyed with us." Sadie cursed herself for being so dumb. 

"Frankly that doesn't matter now, what matters is getting these men able to fend for themselves, and losing few men in our retreat." Karis reminded the new leader to focus on the here and now, not the then. Then cannot be changed. 

"Retreat where?!" The third general chimed in, quite irate. "Don't you see what one army of volunteers has done to us in a matter of hours, the rebellion is finished!" The mad glint in his eyes told Sadie he was speaking out of sheer aggression. "We cannot negotiate peace, or we'll die quicker." He said, sadly coming to the conclusion he did not want to.

"Our choices are surrender and die, or fight and die with honor." Sadie laid out the rebellions choices; it did not matter what the two wished for. The fight would end when he last man standing is gunned down in the fields. 

 

"Can you shoot?" Mykle asked the Jedi, who looked at him like he was a borderline idiot. 

"I don't need too." She gestured to her trusty lightsaber, a smug smirk on her face. 

"You'll need one of these." He handed her a pistol, little regard for the Jedi way doing things. He respected them and all, a blaster was a war weapon however. "Keep watch, make sure if there are ground troops they don't come down here." He assembled the high powered sniper rifle in a minute, propping it on the ceil of the bell tower. "I haven't fired these things since the time I tried to join the army." He said to Ahsoka, as if to strike up a conversation. 

"How old are you?" Ahsoka didn't believe this kid for one moment. 

"Hey, the Jedi have no qualms letting you in." He pointed out. 

"Ground troops!" 

"I got 'em." Steels and standard Super Battle Droids entered the scene now, ready to cut open the chest of the Republic. Two shots and twelve of them fell, two more and a trench was created for the clones in desperate need of cover. 

"I'm gonna go help them." Ahsoka jumped down from the tower, scaling downwards, performing a summersault so graceful reminiscent of an acrobat. Igniting her green power blade, it's hot energy cutting through the night sky, Tano slashed, ducked, pushed her opposition back to group up with clones taking cover in the trench. 

"This things really useful." Mykle noted, deciding now to look upwards and try his luck in the skies. Starfighters circled MiCo like a flock of vultures around a dying body in the desert, dropping bombs, firing upon transports carrying wounded soldiers. Such precision could not be achieved by a group of people who joined the fight a week in a half ago. Mykle never had much luck hitting any of these things, always zooming so fast he could barley catch a glimpse. This was different. The small area demanded multiple turnarounds, a slower speed, and the boy fully intended to shoot some birds out of the sky. Eyeing the ion engine on the left wing, Mykle fired one shot, zipped passed, the second however was right on point. A luxury he would not enjoy under any other circumstance. The Steel piloted starfighter came down in a nose dive, imploding on impact. Another joined in the rubble. Two birds down, three to go.

On the ground, Skywalker looked up to find ships falling without much reason. "A fault in the tin cans wiring?" Anakin thought, but assuming a clone trooper was watching over them on a vantage point. 

"I have an idea, Rex." He turned to his most trustworthy soldier. "Give me cover, I'll take down those birds." the captain nodded, proceeding to give his commanding officer cover fire. 

 

Ahsoka's back was glued to the hot dirt next to the clones waiting for the moment they could peak their heads out and shoot. Clones passed down grenades, mostly electro-magnetic pulses, to the one most able to flank the advancing force, when it reached its man two solid, cold steeled orbs flung into the sky and into the center of the rows of droids, their metallic bodies shook violently, sparking next to their heartless comrades, falling to the floor as lifeless as they were prior. 

"Now!" They shot back, mowing down the Super Battle Droids, their lone bionic arms shown little mercy or interest in letting up. "We're gonna have to retreat!" One bellowed out in freight. 

"Where?!" One asked. Ahsoka heard the exchange, though unable to mask who was the ones talking, and spoke. 

"There's gonna be no retreat... now fire!" She deflected shots back at their senders, the droids unwavering in their onslaught. Ahsoka was beginning to see the advantages of the tinnie army.

Mykle eyed her through the scope of his rifle, understanding the squads apparent need of aide, Mykle shifted his eyes downwards and struck the marching mechanical army, blasting them into smithereens. The whole group let out a hardy "hoorah," advancing forward. Ahsoka looked up to see Briggs in the bell tower hands still on the boiling rifle, she gave a subtle salute to show gratitude. 

"Anytime!" He said to himself, now returning his attention back to the skies, brilliant red bolts came directly at him. Ducking before the laser could rip his head off, the tower began to shake, stricken with panic, Mykle frozen in place as the fighter made a U-turn, sights set for the bell tower once more. This time Briggs took the initiative, ducking the firing, only to lose his valuable rifle and any way to fight back. Figuring out he didn't have enough time until the ship took down the tower, not interesting in falling 87 meters to his death, Mykle ran down the stops, pistol on hand. Running out of the shaking bell tower, it's foundation began to collapse, Mykle picked up his pace and ran straight for the trenches, jumping in head first.

"Who are you?!" A clone pointed his blaster at the kid's head, still spinning from the dive. Before he could respond Mykle heard a faint voice ordering for the clone to stand down. 

"Easy there, he's with us!" She told him, helping Mykle get back to his two feet, though still having to crouch down. "You alright?" She asked, observing his bloodied hand that must've landed on a rock and sliced his palm slightly. 

"Argh!" he groaned. "I shoot with this hand." Tano called for a medical trooper, shortly after his hand was bandaged, but Mykle had troubling gripping the handle of his gun. 

"You should hang low." Ahsoka told him. Mykle took a brief look at the Togruta's big blue eyes, his green pupils staring deep into her. 

"No way," he said "this is my home, and I'm fighting for it!" He grabbed his blaster laying by his knees, and took cover waiting for the time to fire. Knowing talking sense into him was about as useful as talking to a wall, Ahsoka relented, letting out a long sigh, and returned to her post.

"Make sure he doesn't get himself killed, Thatch." She ordered one of the clone captains. 

"Yes, sir." Thatch did not know why she took a liking to this kid, perhaps it's just the need to protect who she sees as a normal citizen. 

 

"That bird is giving us all sorts of trouble." Skywalker groaned, waiting for his window to open. "How goes the attention seeking, Rex?" 

"Uh, not so good sir," Rex held in his right shoulder wound "the clankers got us pinned downed." 

"Where are you?" Anakin needed Rex's covering fire bad, the bird hadn't stopped occupying anybody trying to escape the war zone. 

"Don't worry, I got 'em." Jayson interjected, "take care of the bird, I'll assist Rex." 

"What? Jayson, no, I'm your superior and I order you to- argh!" Anakin groaned, moving on to the starfighter, knowing he'd be dead meat if they weren't taken down.

Mykle held the center of his palm, still feeling serious discomfort, though the painkillers numbed it, the loss of feeling in his right hand has made him unable to preform. The clones confiscated his pistol, after showing his inability to shoot. "Come on, you guys gotta give me something. I wanna help!" He begged Thatch, unwilling to go against his commanders orders. 

"Sorry, kid," Thatch said indifferently. "but the commander said you're unfit for service." 

"That's a bunch garbage, I am totally fit for service." He defended. Unconvinced, Thatch turned back to command his forces. 

 

"Thatch, take the fighters attention off me, I'll take it down." Anakin ordered of him, taking cover behind a pillar, the Seppie pilots were merciless when they spotted the Jedi in the open. "They're all over me."

"On it sir, I have a visual on you." Thatch zeroed in, taking out a rocket launcher he'd been dying to use. Within moments his sights were set on the two starfighters. "3...2...1." A brilliant orange flame emitted from the barrel, the rocket whizzed passed its target, but the job had already been down. Skywalker emerged from the pillar, flinging his blue lightsaber clipping one of the two fighters' swings, sending one of the birds crashing down in flames.

"Good shot, sir!" Rex congratulated the general. Skywalker's lightsaber flung back into his hands, returning like a boomerang. 

"Thanks," he said, taking cover behind the pillar once more "we still have one more to worry about." Unfortunately for Anakin the fighter caught sight of him and unloaded a flurry of shots, the Jedi ran hard in search of cover that could withstand the constant bombardment. "I need some covering fire!" He asked of his clone soldiers, who couldn't see their General due to the black smoke blanketing the battlefield. 

"Jayson, can you get a visual?" Rex asked the Padawan. Strangely the blaster fire slowed, everything was becoming manageable for their side. 

"No, I cannot." He told him, a hitch in his voice was noticeable. 

Mykle peaked over the trench to see the lone starfighter soaring above them all. "Can't you shoot that thing down?" He asked Thatch. 

"For the last time: no!" Thatch rushed to his commander to aide the left side of the trench. "If there's a time to push, it's now." He told Ahsoka. She pondered for a moment

"Push where? What post is there to take, let's wear out their resources, the waves are bound to stop!" Ahsoka ordered her men to stand their ground and not go charge. 

Mykle started to get feeling back in his right hand again. Taking a blaster from a fallen trooper, Mykle shot three blasts with precision, droids fell one after the other. "Alright.." He smirked slightly, obviously satisfied with himself.

"Damn, bird!" Anakin cursed. "You gotta overheat your guns eventually. Jayson, can you help me out?" 

"No can do." He said, remorse in his voice. "I can't see jack out here, all I see are black clouds." Same for Thatch, Rex, and the gunners. Anakin couldn't see either, the only color he could make out were the red blast whooshing past him, slowly eating away at his cover. 

"They got me pinned!" 

Ahsoka heard this, being preoccupied for the most part, rushing over to the Thatch, grabbing his wrist. "Master," she called to him. "Master, are you alright?" 

"Ahsoka?" Anakin thought she'd be long gone at this point. He wouldn't let himself believe in the worse case scenario, but he could imagine it. "What are you doing in battle?" His relief was replace by rage she once again disobeyed a clear, direct order of his. 

"I can help you," she didn't want to talk about this, more about how she was gonna keep Anakin alive. "Listen, the droids on our part aren't coming as hard as they were before, I can lead a unit to-" 

"No!" Anakin cut her off, but her words gave Mykle an idea. "You will do no such thing."

"I need you to just trust me for once!" She protested fiercely. She already made up her mind, Anakin knew that. 

"Ahsoka-" he tried to protest further, but found himself a loss for words, the situation irritating him. "Okay," he conceded "I'm.. uh, between the wreckage of a burning fighter, and a load of melting metal." 

"Ours or theirs?" She asked.

"It doesn't matter!" He said, getting impatient.

Tano turned back to Thatch, who was arguing with Mykle over his use of a pistol. "It was mine to begin with, my hand is alright, so hand it over!" He stood so much shorter than the breed soldier. Any attempt at intimidation was to be in vein.

"Listen here kid, we should just focus on getting you back to your mommy and daddy." Thatch almost laughed directly in the kid's face. Mykle counted the clone lucky had a hard helmet on, otherwise he would punch his eyes through the back of his head. 

"Thatch!" Ahsoka called for his attention. "Mykle..." she walked over to him "you're able to help?" She asked him, when Mykle nodded she took the pistol from Thatch's hand and plopped it into Mykle's. "Don't kill one of ours." She ushered him to follow her. "Thatch, when I give you the signal, send your boys out there and layout barbwire all across the field, tell Jayson and Rex to do the same." 

"What do you have planned?" An intrigued Mykle asked, Ahsoka started to explain her idea to him. 

The two emerged from the burning trench, hot dirt clutched on to the bottom of their clothes, the grass turned into mud, traction was poor for the droids. "I don't think we need barbed wire, I can't see steels, or any type of battle droid crossing this." He pointed out.

"It's for if they come back." Ahsoka pointed out that possibility.

She spotted the pile of scorched metal droids, burnt wreckage of the just destroyed Confederate starfighter. "I see the bird." Ahsoka grabbed Mykle's arm, pulling him into a crouch behind some bushes. "You know the plan?" She wanted to cross the T's and dot the I's. 

Mykle nodded. "'I'll distract the pilot, you and Anakin force the ship to the ground." He simulated the sound for an explosion. 

"I'm having second thoughts about this." Ahsoka understood she was trusting a random kid with her life.

"Hey, I've been in worse predicaments than this." 

"You're a criminal!" She said. "Why am I even trusting you?" 

"Because I'm the best person you got." He said with a little cocky grin.

"Oh, sir." She rolled her blue eyes.

"Okay, just wait until I give you the signal." 

When she gave him the green light, Mykle laid down four shots, cracking the canopy, successfully gaining the fighter's attention, letting Ahsoka rush to meet up with Anakin. "Hello, Snips," Skywalker looked at his lightsaber, finding this to be the first time he's ever wished to have a blaster over his Jedi weapon.

"Skyguy, it's been a while." She smiled slightly. "I got an idea." Anakin was already skeptical. "Oh, don't look at me like that! It's gonna work." 

"Like your strategy on Florum?" Anakin wasn't convinced. 

"It would've worked if you've gotten out the way in time." She retorted. 

"Yeah, well, we're not getting the money for the equipment you set ablaze." 

Having enough of this trip down memory lane, the Togruta wanted to know if her master was ready for the final phase of the plan. 

Mykle ran in a zigzag, desperate for any sort of cover he can find. The heat from each blast kept getting warmer, signaling in his mind it be a matter of time until that hunk of scrap metal hit its target. "Need a little help!" He ducked, proceeded to do a barrel roll and shot four more shots, two of them cracking open the canopy, hitting one of its hinges. A lucky shot, to say the least. 

"Now!" Anakin and his Padawan jumped out to grab ahold the large aircraft in midair, slowly rotating it away from Mykle, recovering from nearly being shot into oblivion. Moving both their wrist, directing the gunners into the night sky where it would do the least harm, rapidly firing at the stars. "Three..." Anakin braced himself for the final part. "Two... one!" Their four arms shifted down and brought the fighter crashing to the ground.

Peaking through her eyelids, Ahsoka became excited, jittery, jumping up and down. "We did it!" The teen couldn't believe what she just survived. 

"You should go check up on Mykle." Anakin told her, taking a large breath, holding his bruised side. 

She just remembered, looking behind her to see Mykle on his back, huffing and puffing with rapid breaths. "Oh, right!" Rushing over to the boy kneeling by his battered body.

"Hey, how are you?" She asked as if speaking to a young schoolchild. "You did really good." 

He groaned, moaned in harsh pain. "Everything hurts." The Togruta couldn't help but laugh. 

"You're not hurt, get up." She offered the boy a hand. "Where did you come from?" She asked. He dusted himself off, took a breath, standing hunched hands on his knees. 

"I work for the Fair Liberty militia, Feevious tells me we're your allies." He answered. "Quite a way to be introduced to one another." Adding a sly smile with that. Ahsoka paid little mind to it. 

"Some allies, they didn't even-" Mykle interjected, just remembering the dour news he's to share. 

"The Separatists have squashed our rebellion, prisoned its leaders, and now Klingston can focus all of her energy on doing the same to you guys." His breath became shorter after spitting out all that info. "If you ask me to repeat all that it may not come out in the same order it did before." 

"I gotta tell Anakin." She rushed over to her master in the middle of heading back to the camp to survey the damage done in the invasion attempt. 

"Yeah, you do that." He held on to his side, his palm clutched tightly on his ribcage, praying there wasn't any damage beyond a bruise. 

When she reached him, Anakin was standing as still as a manikin, staring as if blankly ahead. It wasn't until Ahsoka turned her blue eyes to what he was looking did she join him in the shock. Legions of military battle droids, organics standing on the unscathed parts of MiCo, lead by Klingston herself. 

"Master Skywalker," she found the worn out Jedi's state amusing. Quite the show of the resources she possessed. "your council was unwise to tether themselves to this place." 

"We won't be bullied into surrender." Anakin held out his blade, pointed directly at Klingston and her unflinching army. "Ahsoka," he whispered. "evacuate the area, I'll hold them off." 

"But master-" He cut her off.

"That's an order, Ahsoka." 

Reluctantly, she listened, most likely he'd need the help of clones to successfully take attention from them. The bleakest part of being a commander. 

"It is wise to let your Padawan go, she is too young to see the carnage about to take place." Klingston didn't look at herself as one to give another a gory death; in fact, she prided herself on the opposite. Didn't mean she enjoyed a little psychological torture every now and then. Anakin eyed his Padawan, telling her not to respond and to leave. 

"Come on," She grabbed ahold of Mykle's wrist, dragging him with her. "we gotta find Thatch and Rex." Mykle didn't need to ask why, for he knew. He just wanted to keep his head down so Klingston wouldn't know he was also here. "I'll go get Rex, you find Thatch, I'll communicate orders via comlink. You got your blaster?" She asked. Mykle nodded. 

"Took ammo from the fallen droids, I'm good. Let's hurry, I don't know how long Anakin can hold Klingston." He told a concurring Ahsoka.

"I've been waiting a long time to meet you, Skywalker," Klingston ordered her men to disperse, to quell any escape attempt. "you don't know how much time I've spent preparing for this encounter." 

"Should I be flattered?" Anakin quipped. 

"Precisely," She showed visible glee. "for you are the 'Chosen One', the 'Hero With No Fear.'" She sang his praises in a way it was impossible for Skywalker to tell if it was all sarcasm. "And you just thought you could waltz right into the land I've spilt blood and tears for just like that!" A fire was lit in her eyes, she brandished her black blade, and pounced on top of Skywalker, their swords clashed in a brilliant light. "I guess I should be surprised," She said, as she put pressure on Anakin's lightsaber. "the Jedi are the religion of fools." 

"Don't be so sure of yourself." He grunted through labored effort, Klingston was stronger than he gave her credit for. Able to push her off, like a rabid dog she just went back on the attack, never wearing down. Jayson tried to help, unable to flank the Sitn from behind, constantly getting kicked back, and thrown aside like a rag doll. 

 

"Thatch, we gotta move, now." Mykle told him. "Order your men to follow Commander Tano to the rendezvous point." But the clone didn't look convinced. 

"Why should I believe you, kid?" Thatch put his hands on his hips, disinterested in what Mykle had to say, surprised he didn't bolt yet.

"Because I've gotten direct orders from your superior, bucko, and if you want your brothers to live long and prosperous lives, you'll listen to her." That seemed to do the trick. Though it killed Thatch to have taken orders from this kid, he did have a point. 

"Alright, boy!" He commanded their attention with his bombastic voice. "Move out!" 

Ahsoka had a much more easier time telling Rex to do the same, they banded together, forming a wall to protect the many wounded in the prior battle. In little time they found themselves engaged in another shootout against enemy forces. 

Going on sheer adrenaline, Klingston did not let up on Skywalker, hacking at anything just to get him off balance. When his feet would reel to the side she was let loose a force push, driving him on his back hard, having to roll out the way to avoid getting a lightsaber stabbed through his heart.


	11. And It All Came Tumbling Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last Chapter. One last battle for the soul of Mandalore's little brother planet.

Sadie awoke groggy, her legs and arms shaky, her skin bruised, battered, bleeding from her lekku. Unsuccessful in her first attempt to get on her two legs, it felt as if boulders were strapped to her back. Shō turned her neck to the left and right, trying to evaluate her surroundings. 

"Hello," she called out, clutching on to the wall, voice croaked. "anyone there?" Soldiers rose up from the floor like bruised sunflowers. "Is everyone okay?" 

"No..." one spoke up, another one concurred. 

"Okay, let's take a head count." Twelve men and women, four human, two Twi'leks, one Togruta, four Zebrak's, and one Ferroan. "We need a first aid." 

Medics rushed to the the injured. Sadie looked around for her commanding officer. "You're the leader of the Fair Liberty militia." And in a flash Sadie's demeanor changed from vulnerable concern, to a hardened soul, who's seen enough of war. Wasting little time, Shō got moving. 

"The Jedi," she remembered. "Klingston probably found them already. Grab all the able bodied soldiers you can scrounge up, and let's get to MiCo." She ordered the new captain, Fairday Mulic. There wasn't any cards to play, no tricks up her sleeve, all she had was men and women willing to die for the cause. 

 

From the battlefield of MiCo, an overhead view gave the sight of an imploding castle on Mustafar built on top of lava. The entire town smelled of burnt grass, ash, metal, oil, and other crude substances. Anakin, amazed at idea of anybody ever living in this town again, couldn't breath a good take of fresh air. Weakened, knees buckling, Klingston knew she had the young Knight on the ropes, his back to a tree in need of support, Anakin fell down to his knees, holding out his blade horizontally, as Kerry repeatedly bludgeoned him until slicing his mechanical hand clean off, he fell to the wet ground with a thud, a groan, and an exacerbated sigh.

The hot sun vanished behind the gloom of the dark clouds that dropped cold droplets of rain made the tired soldiers of the Republic joyous, even if it was for a short moment. Some holding out their helmets and guzzling down the liquid like it was a gift from the gods. Even Ahsoka, busy fending off their attackers, couldn't resist letting the cold refreshing taste hit her tongue. The entire legion's tank ran on empty, the heat added an extra weight they did not need. 

"Ahsoka, are you alright?" Mykle placed his hand on her shoulder. Her blue eyes doubled in size, chest started to heave up and down, mind obviously racing. "Ahsoka, take a deep breath." Mykle told her. She complied, but it did little to quell the chaos of emotions. 

"Anakin," she started, saying his name on a horsed voice. "I can feel him in pain... I have to go help him!" Ahsoka tried to rush to his aid, only to have Mykle stop her.

"Whoa, there sister," he knew the feeling she was having. Nobody makes good choices when in this state. "you won't live with all the gunmen going for your head, and you certainly can't leave your men behind." 

Ahsoka grunted, frustrated knowing Mykle was right. But Anakin, her mentor, friend, her angst grew and grew, feeling the suffering he was going through. All to protect her. 

"Whatever happens, it isn't your fault, whether you were here or not it wouldn't make a difference." Mykle assured her, he did not know how he became aware of Ahsoka's thought process. 

"Why do you save that?" Ahsoka eyed him curiously. 

"Say what?" He asked slightly confused. 

"Why did you say it wouldn't make a difference, isn't she here for the Jedi?" She wondered.

"Yeah," Mykle seconded that notion, somewhat too quick. "she always wanted to prove herself."

"But in the cell, you told me about your meeting with her, how she..." Then it all came together, like the last piece to the puzzle. 

"You...you...moron!" She pushed him hard against the tree. "You've lead her army here!"

"I've done no such thing!" He defended himself, his mind in shambles at the utter prospect. "She launched her assault well before I came here, I only showed on orders!" 

"Who's?" She asked.

"Sadie Shō."

"Who?" She repeated. "What about Feevious?" 

"He's dead!" He blurred out. "Probably should have told you that..."

"Yeah, you should have." 

"I don't know if Sadie is still alive." His eyes looked away from her's, down at the dirt. Having just loss Quillius, Nyko, his home, and now Sadie, in just under a week. Looking back up at Ahsoka's ocean blue eyes, Mykle didn't know what there was left to live for anymore. 

"If you stand for nothing, then you live for nothing." He remembered Sadie's words, they ran on repeat in his mind. 

"I'm sorry Ahsoka." He told her sorrowfully. "I've been selfish all my life, and know I've loss everything."

"You don't know that." Ahsoka felt like she knew where this was going. Mykle started to sprint back to MiCo, ignoring the calls from the troopers looking back at him like he was mental unstable. "Where are you going?"

"To save your master, the Galactic Republic, and my home with any luck!" In many ways, this action did not seem crazy. Mykle understood the only way he could play this card. Whether he'd live would be besides the point. 

 

Klingston intended to end the Jedi Skywalker right then and there. His body worn, scared, her eyes bulged at the prospect of becoming a celebrity in the history of the Sith. Her mouth watered. Extending her long blade above her head, It's sword aimed to cut the Jedi's back in half. Anakin felt it's heat searing off his tunic it was so close to his flesh. The scene froze all around them, the sound of two blades clashing rattled against his ears *kshhhh* 

"Hello, Ms," Jayson reintroduced himself. "I believe we got off the wrong foot." The two blades combined made a foliage green color, his arms shook struggling to keep Master Skywalker save. Thinking fast, Jayson released a Force push that succeeded in staggering the Sith. Force push wasn't a skill Jayson was best at. To have it work just enough to get some distance between the wounded Anakin and the Sith made Jayson golden.

"Someone of such youth shouldn't involve themselves in such mature affairs." Klingston remarked. Drawing her blade over her head into the standard Juyo stance, Klingston believed it wouldn't be difficult to despatch of the inexperienced challenger. Jayson, well aware of her lack of respect, got himself into his Niman stance, both hands gripping the hilt of his blade like a bat. 

"What is next for you?" Jayson asked. "After you takeover Lianos, all of the Galactic Republic will be after you for all the damages you've caused here."

"Damage?" Klingston seemed to be perplexed by the notion she brought the wrecking ball. "No, you've got it all backwards. I will be seen, rightfully, as a liberator, my friends on Mandalore will help me secure my power." 

The amount of confidence and arrogance expressed made Jayson almost unsettled. Was there even a backup plan for this delicate walking of the line? 

"What's your plan B?" He asked. 

"I didn't know you were so interested in my plans." She smirked, Jayson felt himself get swept off his feet, blown back, landing harshly on his side. "Then again, I figure Jedi aren't the best interrogators." 

"Trust me...we are." Jayson chuckled, while coughing up some dust that made its way into his lungs. Disconnected from his lightsaber, knowing a Force push would not work this time, Jayson searched for a literal life saving idea. 

"How about I make you watch Skywalker die?" She suggested, her face gleaming. "Then your sacrifice would have truly meant nothing."

Holding in his left rib cage, feeling like it was on the verge of collapsing, Jayson did not regret getting tangled into the deadly dance against the Sith. He'd do it again and again, if it was for Skywalker. 

"No sacrifice is for nothing." His eyes darted left, then right for his missing lightsaber. The ultimate backbreaker ensued, Klingston called to Jayson's curved hilt, it crashed into his right palm, a metallic clank rattled against his eardrums. 

"I suppose you won't be needing this." Her ego spilt out. Picking up the injured boy, Klingston tossed Jayson like a rag doll across from Anakin, he laid there in a beaten up heap, dirt seeping into his eyeballs. 

When his vision cleared, all Jayson could make out was a shadowy figure walking towards him at a calm pace. Klingston's extended black lightsaber held behind her head, appearing to ready herself to chop Jayson's head off. Closing his eyes as tight his lids would let him, waiting for the certain end, what opened them was a loud ping sound, and a loud, harsh hiss. Klingston held her bloodied hand, while her lightsaber skipped from her hand to the ground. She, as did Jayson, looked at around for the shooter, able to spot a small boy, not too intimidating by appearance alone, holding the smoking barrel of his pistol towards his face, before squaring right up for Klingston's torso. 

"That shot came from thirty-two meters, Klingston, and the next one is aimed right Square for your head!" He honestly didn't know if he could be so precise, any threat he could make should be backed up by the feat he had just accomplished, right? 

"And who are you?" She hissed, Mykle could have sworn to have caught a glance at her forked tongue it sounded so much like a snake. A squinting of her eyes made the picture clear, Mykle Briggs, the Force using, crack shot had come back to die...for what?

"What made you finally show?" She wondered, her quizzicalness replaced the pain she was currently experiencing.

"Something I felt", his finger crept to the trigger, ready to fire. "You wanted me, now you have me!" 

"Mykle!" The boy's head turned to see a hobbled Skywalker stumble to his feet. "Do not shoot, she must stand trail for the abomination she's committed here."  
Mykle didn't seem to have faith in the Galactic judicial system. 

"You think a jail cell can hold a Sith Lord?" He never thought he'd hear such a profoundly idiotic statement coming from such a respected Jedi.

"No," he did not relent, "I don't know who you are, but I feel your connection to the Force, striking down in anger will not give you peace, or help any of the people you seek too."  
Mykle stayed silent, Anakin continued.  
"We can shut her off from the Force, interrogate her and find the Sith behind this war." 

It didn't change Mykle's mind. He still shot. Klingston fell to the ground, a brilliant blue bold escaped the barrel of his gun, crashing against her body. "Can I submit an application?"

Anakin thought back to his recent claim, he said he felt Mykle's "connection" to the Force. Course, all beings, be they Force sensitive or not, are connected to the mystical power. 

End of Chapter 12

From then on the battle slowed. Without Klingston there was not a leader to constantly feed orders into the droids and organics' soldiers. The clones apprehended the organics who surrendered peacefully. 

"I must say, Anakin, you've done me proud." Obi-Wan complimented his old apprentice, giving him a good slap on the shoulder. Skywalker couldn't help but gleam, he waited a long time to hear his master say that to him. But he knew he didn't deserve all the credit.

"Actually, Master, it was this kid there, name's Mykle Briggs." He pointed to a sitting Mykle icing his sore shoulder, talking it up with a few of the soldiers. "He was knocked down, beaten, and never gave up. He saved me and Jayson, and apprehended Klingston for us." 

"Well I wouldn't go that far." Jayson pushed for the statement by Anakin to be amended.

"Well you should be very grateful, but why was he even here in the first place?" Obi-Wan asked.

"He's a part of the Fair Liberty militia, lead by Feevious, until he died." He told him.

"I see, and who is their leader now?" He asked.

"Sadie Shō, a very wise woman, someone you can trust to rebuild this mess." Anakin vouched for her. 

"Alright, but rest assure she's on a short lease." Obi-Wan obviously hates doing business with radicals, so Anakin wouldn't have expected anything less than paranoia from his teacher. "We can't afford to be reckless." 

"What do you mean?" Anakin caught on to the doom and gloom expression. 

 

\------

"So, what's next for you?" Ahsoka walked up to Mykle. "Going home?"

"I can't go home." He pointed out. "Long story short: I just can't." 

Bit dramatic the Padawan had to admit.

"I just wanted to thank you for your help." She extended her hand, Mykle met her's. 

Flashing a cocky grin, as if saying "you're welcome." Briggs, bid his comrades as a farewell, and started his search for Sadie, and hopefully a new life.


End file.
